An Act to Require
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 2159
Committee Amendment CA_A_H959 (House)
Amends: 5 MRSA §12004, 29-A MRSA §2302, 29-A MRSA §2304, 29-A MRSA §2306-A, 29-A MRSA §2308, 29-A MRSA §2312, 29-A MRSA §2313

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "/p) to H.P. 1448, L.D. 2159, "An Act to Require
School Buses to Be Equipped with an9 fo Use School Bus Crossing Arms"
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the
emergency clause and inserting the following:
'See. 1. 5 MRSA §12004-1, sub-§86-A is enacted to read;
86-A.
Not Authorized
Transportation:
School
Transoortatioa
Maine School Transportation Safety
Commission
29-AMRSA
S2313
Sec. 2. 29-A MRSA §2302, sub-§l-A, as enacted by PL 2019, c. 413, §2, is
amended to read:
1-A. School bus crossing arms. A school bus of model year 2021 or nowor must be
equipped with a school bus crossing arm.
Sec. 3. 29-A MRSA §2304, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2023, c. 423,§1,is further
amended by enacting at the end a new first blocked paragraph to read;
If the door is open and a oassenger is on bQard. the school bus may not be in motion,
Sec. 4. 29-A MRSA §2306-A is enacted to read:
S2306-A. Reauired use of school bus crossing arm
1. Required use. The o&erator of a schooLbus equipped with a school bus crossing
arm shall activate the school bus crossing arm while the school bus is stopped to receive or
discharge passengers. The operator of a school bus equipped with a school bus crossing
arm may not unnecessarily stop where there is a physical barrier that prevents th^^
bus crossing arm from extending safely.
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT " A." to H.P, 1448, L.D. 2159
2. Prohibition; disable school bus crossine arm. The school bus operator may not
disable the school bus crossing arm unless there is a physical barrier that prevents the
school bus crossing arm from extendmg safely,
Sec. 5. 29-A MRSA §2308, sub-§l, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Ft. A, §2 and
affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read;
1. Receiving or discharging passengers. A school bus operator shall activate
flashing lights at least 100 feet before a stop is made to receive or discharge passengers.
These lights must be continually displayed until after the bus has received or discharged
passengers. The red signal lights, stop aim and school bus crossing arm must be activated
and in use while receiving or discharging passengers.
Sec. 6. 29-A MRSA §2312 is enacted to read:
§2312. Violation
A violation of this subchapter or the rules adopted by the Commissioner of Education
pursuant to section 2311 is a traffic infraction unless otherwise specified within this
subchapter.
Sec. 7. 29-A MRSA §2313 is enacted to read:
§2313. ]Maine School Transportation Safety Commission
The Maine School Transportation Safety Commission, referred to in this section as "the
commission," is established by Title 5, section 12004-1, subsection 86-A and operates m
accordance with this section,
1. Members. The commission consists of at least 9 members as follows:
A, The Commissioner of Public Safety or the commissioner's desienee;
B, The Commissioner of Education or the commissioner's desienee;
C, The head of the school safety center within the Department of Education;
D, Two members from a statewide organization dedicated to pupil transportation who
mustbe:
d) The organization's board president; and
(T) The organization's board vice president
E. The Commissioner of Transportation or the commissioner's designee;
F, A member designated by the Commissioner of Education who is currently serving
as a transportation director for a school administrative unit;
G, A representative of a statewide organization representing school administrative
units; and
4 H, A representative from the school safety center within the Department of Education
with expertise in pupil transportation,
2. Commission invitees. The commission may invite additional individuals to
narticipate as members of the commission, including, but not limited to. the Secretary of
8 State or the secretarv's designee. An.inYitee may be designated as a voting council member
at the commission's discretion,
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT " Df" to H,P, 1448, L.D, 2159
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT " Dc-" to :
3. Duties. The commission shall annually:
A. Review current statutes, rules and regulations related to safety standards^ m'otocols
and school bus driver ti'amine and ensure clear communication of these requirements
to all school administrative units;
B. Produce an updated set of best practices for school bus safety and disseminate it to
all school administrative units;
C, Identify changes or improvements needed in school transoortationj-ulesjo_^^
the safety and well-being of all students, staff and drivers;
D^Ldentify_ school bus s^a^^ be installed, upgraded or replaced,
includine door antipinch sensors and school bus crossing arms;
E. Encourage and assist school administrative units in the effective communication of
school bus safety information to students and families;
F. Confmn that school administrative units have a process to complete, on a biannual
basis, school bus safety trainmg checklists;
G. Identify training needs for bus drivers and a mechanism for this training to be
provided to all school administrative units; and
H. Review any other information the commission determines is necessary for school
transportation safety,
4. Meetines, The cQmmissk>a_shall meet at least once a year.
5. Chaiy.lhGTaernbers of the commission shall elect from among the membership a
chair. The chair continues to hold the office until a successor is elected,
6. Report. By February 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, the commission shall submit
a report of its activities, any other facts and compliance issues regarding school bus safety
andanY__recommended legislation to the joint standing committees of the Legislature
having jurisdiction over transportation matters and education and cultural affairs. If the
report includes recommended legislation, the joint standing committee of the Legislature
having jurisdiction over ti'ansuortation matters may report out a bill related to the report,
Sec. 8. Department of Education, Maine School Safety Center program,
Other Special Revenue Funds account established. The State Controller shall
establish within the Department of Education a nonlapsing Other Special Revenue Funds
account within the Maine School Safety Center program, which is funded through a transfer
from the available balance of the Maine Budget Stabilization Fund pursuant to section 10.
Sec. 9. Department of Education, IVIaine School Safety Center program,
Other Special Revenue Funds account; limitations. The nonlapsing Other Special
Revenue Funds account within the Maine School Safety Center program established
6 pursuant to section 8 may be used only for one-time funding to a school administrative unit
that retrofits its school buses with school bus crossing arms in compliance with the Maine
Revised Statutes, Title 29-A, section 2302, subsection 1-A or antipinch sensors. A school
administrative unit that retrofits its school buses with school bus crossing arms on or after
March 1, 2026 and has not received funds from the State for this puqiose may request
reimbursement for one-time fundmg to cover the expenses of retrofitting the school buses.
A school administrative unit may not request reimbursement for retrofitting its school buses
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
^oi
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT " ^ " to H.P. 1448, L.D. 2159
with antipinch sensors prior to receiving funding under section 11. For the purposes of this
section, "antipinch sensors" means technology to prevent the front, right side door of a
school bus from closing on a person's limb or other body part,
Sec. 10. Transfer from Maine Budget Stabilization Fund; Department of
Education, JMaine School Safety Center program. Notwithstanding any provision
of law to the contrary, on or before June 30, 2026, the State Controller shall transfer
$5,921,640 from the Maine Budget Stabilization Fund within the Department of
Administrative and Financial Services to the Department of Education, Mame School
Safety Center program. Other Special Revenue Funds account.
Sec. 11. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and
allocations are made,
EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF
Maine School Safety Center Z293
Initiative; Provides one-time funding for safety measures including retrofitting nearly 1,700
Maine school buses with crossmg arms and antipmch door sensors.
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 2025-26 2026-27
AHOther $5,921,640 $500
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL $5,921,640 $500
Sec. 12. Effective date. That section of this Act that amends the Maine Revised
Statutes, Title 29-A, section 2302, subsection 1-A takes effect February 15, 2027.'
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section
number to read consecutively.
SUMMARY
This amendment amends the bill m the following ways.
1. It clarifies that a school bus is prohibited from being in motion when a school bus
door is open and a passenger is on board.
2. It removes the provision making a school bus operator's failure to use the school bus
crossing arm a Class E crime and instead states that a violation of any laws related to school
buses or rules governing their construction, equipment, operation and identification or the
transportation of public preschool children is a traffic infraction unless otherwise
prescribed by law,
3. It requires the operator of a school bus equipped with a school bus crossing arm to
not stop unnecessarily where there is a physical barrier that prevents the school bus crossing
5 arm from extending safely.
4. It prohibits a school bus operator from disabling the school bus crossing arm, except
when there is a physical barrier that prevents the school bus crossing arm from extending
safely,
5. It establishes the Maine School Transportation Safety Commission, which is
required to report by February 1st annually to the joint standing committee of the
Legislature having jurisdiction over education and cultural affairs and the joint standing
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "^-" to H.P, 1448, L,D. 2159
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over transportation matters. If the report
includes recommended legislation, the joint standing committee of the Legislature having
jurisdiction over transportation matters may report out a bill related to the report.
6, It delays to February 15, 2027 the effective date for all school buses to be equipped
with school bus crossing arms. All other provisions of the legislation are effective upon
approval,
7. It authorizes the State Controller to transfer funds from the Maine Budget
Stabilization Fund to implement a program to provide one-time funding to school
administrative units for school bus safety measures mcluding retrofitting school buses with
school bus crossing arms and antipinch door sensors. It also allows any school
administrative unit that retrofits a school bus on or after March 1, 2026 with a school bus
crossing arm to be reimbursed by the State for the cost of the retrofitting.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Approved; 03/24/26 ^-Ki.
LD 2159 LR 2971(02)
An Act to Require School Buses to Be Equipped with and to Use School Bus Crossing Arms
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment '/J(' ({-)'" °\ <5> °\
Committee: Transportation
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
State Mandate - Funded
Projections Projections
FY 2025-26 FY 2026-27 FY 2027-28 FY 2028-29
Net Cost (Savings)
General Fund $0 $0 $0 $0
Appropriations/Allocations
Other Special Revenue Funds $5,921,640 $500 $0 $0
Transfers
General Fund $0 $0 $0 $0
Other Special Revenue Funds $5,921,640 $0 $0 $0
Correctional and Judicial Impact Statements
The additional workload associated with the minimal number of new cases filed in the court system does not require
additional funding at this time, The collection of additional fines will increase General Fund or other dedicated
revenue by minor amounts,
State Mandates
Required Activity Unit Affected Local Cost
This bill requires all school buses to be equipped with a school bus crossing arm, School Significant
School administrative units will need to either purchase new buses or retrofit statewide
existing buses in order to meet the requirements of this bill.
The required local activities in this bill may represent a state mandate pursuant to the Constitution of Maine. If the bill
does require a local unit of government to expand or modify its activities so as to necessitate additional expenditures
from local revenue, the state mandate provisions of the Constitution of Maine require either: (1) General Fund
appropriations be provided to fund at least 90% of any additional necessitated local costs of the mandate; or (2) a
Mandate Preamble be added to the bill and two-thirds of the members of each House vote to exempt the mandate from
the funding requirement. If the bill does represent a state mandate and neither one of these actions occurs, the local
units of government will not be required to implement the mandated activities,
LR2971(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 2
C"A"'fH-W
Fiscal Detail and Notes
This bill includes a one-time Other Special Revenue Funds allocation to the Department of Education of $5,921,640 in
fiscal year 2025-26 for safety measures including retrofitting nearly 1,700 Maine school buses with crossing arms and
anti-pinch door sensors, The bill also includes a transfer of $5,921,640 in fiscal year 2025-26 from the Budget
Stabilization Fund, General Fund account to the Maine School Safety Center, Other Special Revenue Funds account
for this purpose. The allocated funds are expected to cover at least 90% of the costs for school administrative units to
comply with the requirements of this bill.
Any additional costs to the Departments of Public Safety and Transportation from the provisions of this bill are
expected to be minor and can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources,
LR2971(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 2 of 2