TORONTO — A bill before the Legislative Assembly would mandate crossing arms on the province’s older school buses.

While earlier legislation required that new school buses in Ontario be equipped with the safety devices, the new act would require retrofitting of buses manufactured before 2005.

The Ontario School Bus Association said in a recent newsletter that its board of directors supports the bill “on the basis of enhanced safety to schoolchildren and with the understanding provincial funding was required.”

The proposed act, which would take effect on Sept. 4 if passed, is called Brandon’s Law in memory of a student in Trenton, Ontario, who was run over by his school bus.

Crossing arms extend from the right front corner of school buses to keep children at a safer distance when crossing.