I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1828 
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to issue rules requiring the inclusion 
of new safety equipment in school buses, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 4, 2025 
Mr. COHEN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee 
on Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined 
by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to issue rules 
requiring the inclusion of new safety equipment in school 
buses, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘School Bus Safety Act 
of 2025’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
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(1) 3-POINT SAFETY BELT.—The term ‘‘3-point 
safety belt’’ has the meaning given the term ‘‘Type 
2 seat belt assembly’’ in section 571.209 of title 49, 
Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the 
date of enactment of this Act). 
(2) AUTOMATIC
EMERGENCY
BRAKING
SYS-
TEM.—The term ‘‘automatic emergency braking sys-
tem’’ means a crash avoidance system installed and 
operational in a vehicle that consists of— 
(A) a forward collision warning function— 
(i) to detect vehicles and objects 
ahead of the vehicle; and 
(ii) to alert the operator of the vehicle 
of an impending collision; and 
(B) a crash-imminent braking function to 
provide automatic braking when forward-look-
ing sensors of the vehicle indicate that— 
(i) a crash is imminent; and 
(ii) the operator of the vehicle is not 
reacting in a timely or appropriate man-
ner. 
(3) EVENT DATA RECORDER.—The term ‘‘event 
data recorder’’ has the meaning given the term in 
section 563.5(b) of title 49, Code of Federal Regula-
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tions (as in effect on the date of enactment of this 
Act). 
(4) SCHOOL BUS.—The term ‘‘school bus’’ has 
the meaning given the term ‘‘schoolbus’’ in section 
30125(a) of title 49, United States Code. 
(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Transportation. 
SEC. 3. SCHOOL BUS SAFETY. 
(a) SEAT BELT REQUIREMENT.—Not later than 1 
year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall issue final rules prescribing or amending motor vehi-
cle safety standards under chapter 301 of title 49, United 
States Code, to require school buses with a gross vehicle 
weight rating of greater than 10,000 pounds to be 
equipped with a 3-point safety belt at each designated 
seating position. 
(b) FIRE PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall issue rules prescribing or amending 
motor vehicle safety standards under chapter 
301 of title 49, United States Code, to require 
school buses to be equipped with fire suppres-
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sion systems that, at a minimum, address en-
gine fires. 
(B) APPLICATION.—The standards pre-
scribed or amendments made under subpara-
graph (A) shall apply to school buses manufac-
tured in, or imported into, the United States on 
or after the effective date of the standards or 
amendments. 
(2) FIREWALLS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall issue rules prescribing or amending 
motor vehicle safety standards under chapter 
301 of title 49, United States Code, for school 
buses, especially school buses with engines that 
extend beyond the firewall, to ensure that no 
hazardous quantity of gas or flame can pass 
through the firewall from the engine compart-
ment to the passenger compartment. 
(B) APPLICATION.—The standards pre-
scribed or amendments made under subpara-
graph (A) shall apply to school buses manufac-
tured in, or imported into, the United States on 
or after the effective date of the standards or 
amendments. 
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(3) INTERIOR FLAMMABILITY AND SMOKE EMIS-
SIONS
CHARACTERISTICS.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall amend section 571.302 of title 49, Code 
of Federal Regulations (relating to Federal Motor 
Vehicle Safety Standard Number 302), to adopt, 
with respect to a motor vehicle (as defined in section 
30102(a) of title 49, United States Code), perform-
ance standards for interior flammability and smoke 
emissions characteristics that are not less rigorous 
than the performance standards for interior flamma-
bility and smoke emissions characteristics applicable 
to— 
(A) a compartment occupied by the crew 
or passengers of a transport category airplane 
(within the meaning of part 25 of title 14, Code 
of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date 
of enactment of this Act)) under section 25.853 
of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (as in 
effect on the date of enactment of this Act); 
and 
(B) a passenger car or locomotive cab (as 
those terms are defined in section 238.5 of title 
49, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on 
the date of enactment of this Act)) under sec-
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