The school transportation sector continues to see policy shifts in 2026, with new bills introduced to improve student safety, expand funding opportunities, strengthen enforcement efforts, and address challenges related to fleet electrification.

Below is a roundup of several school transportation laws and initiatives moving forward in 2026.

New York Lawmakers Delay Electric School Bus Mandate

New York lawmakers are moving to delay the state’s electric school bus mandate by five years, giving school districts until July 2032 to stop purchasing diesel buses and until 2040 to fully electrify their fleets, according to News10NBC. The previous timeline required districts to stop buying diesel buses by 2027 and complete fleet electrification by 2035.

Districts have raised concerns about electric bus reliability, vehicle cost, availability, charging infrastructure, and grid capacity, News10NBC reported. During school budget voting, Pittsford voters approved the purchase of two electric buses, while similar measures failed in Hilton and Dansville. Gates-Chili currently has 15 electric buses, the most in the Rochester area, while Naples school leaders said electric buses can cost five to eight times as much to operate on rural routes as diesel buses do.

Mid Hudson News reported that the Wappinger Central School District has also pushed for more time. Superintendent Dr. Dwight Bonk said, “I do not recommend purchasing electric buses until the ability to power these buses is studied further.” A 2025 fleet electrification plan for the district found that converting its 261-bus fleet would require a new 2.5-megawatt utility transformer, 196 charging ports across three compounds, and between $134 million and $140 million in capital investment.

Republican State Sen. George Borrello said the delay is a step in the right direction but called for full repeal and replacement with a statewide pilot program. “For years, my Republican colleagues and I have warned that this mandate was unaffordable, unrealistic, and unfair to school districts, and for years, those warnings fell on deaf ears in Albany. I am gratified that the voices of so many school board members, administrators, concerned parents, and taxpayers have finally been heard. Our schools deserve the breathing room this delay provides.”

“This additional time is genuinely valuable, and I am grateful that Albany finally listened,” Borrello said. “At the same time, I want to be clear: this delay needs to be accompanied by substantive changes. The fundamental problems with this mandate have not gone away; they have been deferred. I will continue to push for my legislation, which requires full repeal and replacement with a responsible pilot program that gives us real data and gets us to the right answer. New York’s school districts, taxpayers, and students deserve nothing less.”

Democratic State Sen. Jeremy Cooney said electrification remains the state’s goal. “Full electrification of our school bus fleet remains the priority and the end goal. But the realities on the ground that we’ve heard from school districts made it clear that they need more time to fully make this transition, whether it’s a lack of charging infrastructure, bus availability, or for technology capability to meet upstate routes. This delay is about maintaining our overall commitment to our state’s clean energy goals while giving districts the flexibility and time needed to make this transition a success in the years to come.”

Bill Would Expand Federal Funding for School Bus Safety Projects

U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nevada, has introduced bipartisan legislation that would expand federal funding opportunities for projects to improve student safety on school buses. The Safe Bus Routes to School Act, introduced with Sen. Todd Young, R-Indiana, would allow federal dollars to be used for the planning, design, and construction of infrastructure projects that support safer access to school bus stops and routes.

According to Cortez Masto’s office, eligible projects would include sidewalk improvements, traffic-calming measures, pedestrian crossings, and enhanced bus stop waiting areas. The legislation would also allow funding for educational activities that promote safe school bus ridership, including student training on school bus safety rules.

“Clark County has the largest school bus fleet in the entire country, and 130,000 kids rely on those buses to get from home to school and back again every day,” Cortez Masto said in a news release. “It’s our responsibility to make sure our students are as safe as possible. This commonsense bill would open up more funding for cities and towns across the country to make school bus routes safer.”

The legislation would expand the types of projects eligible for funding through the federal Safe Routes to School program, which was established in 2005. Current program guidelines allow funding for activities and infrastructure projects that improve students’ ability to walk or bike to school safely, but do not specifically address school bus rider safety.

Clark County School District Superintendent Jhone Ebert voiced support for the proposal. “Our community has seen a huge increase in the number of students hit by vehicles on their way to or from school,” Ebert said. “By expanding the Safe Routes to School Program, we can better educate our students and our community about the importance of following the rules of the road so that all students can travel to and from school safely.”

GHSA Backs Bipartisan Transportation Bill with School Bus Provisions

The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) is supporting a bipartisan surface transportation reauthorization proposal that includes several provisions affecting school transportation. The BUILD America 250 Act, approved by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on May 22, would reauthorize federal transportation programs through 2031 and expand federal investments in roadway safety.

For the school bus industry, the legislation would establish a national public safety campaign focused on preventing illegal school bus passing and improving student loading and unloading safety. The bill would also allow states to waive the “under-the-hood” commercial driver’s license pre-trip inspection testing requirement for certain school bus and public transit bus drivers operating within a 150-air-mile radius, while maintaining safety data reporting requirements.

The legislation would also create the nation’s first federal framework for autonomous commercial vehicles. However, autonomous vehicles transporting minors, including school buses primarily, would still be required to have a human operator physically present during operation.

GHSA said the proposal would streamline federal highway safety grants by combining Sections 402 and 405 into a single program and give states more flexibility to make data-driven safety investments. “This bipartisan proposal reflects a clear recognition that for us to continue making progress, states must be able to make data-driven investments in programs that address their most urgent roadway safety challenges,” said GHSA CEO Jonathan Adkins.

The bill now advances in the congressional reauthorization process as lawmakers work toward renewing federal surface transportation programs before they expire in 2026.

State Policy Watch

State lawmakers across the country are advancing school transportation measures to improve student safety, strengthen accountability, and address education funding challenges.

Recent legislative action in New Jersey, Alaska, Missouri, and Illinois includes new requirements for transporting students with disabilities, additional support for schools and teachers, and tougher penalties for drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses.

New Jersey Senate Panel Advances Disability-Focused School Bus Safety Measure

Bipartisan legislation sponsored by New Jersey Senator Anthony Bucco to strengthen school bus safety requirements and emergency response protocols for students with disabilities advanced in the Senate Education Committee.

“Parents deserve peace of mind knowing their children are safe while traveling to and from school,” Bucco said in a release. “This legislation makes it clear that emergencies on school buses must be treated seriously and that the adults responsible for students are prepared to respond when something goes wrong.”

The bill, S-2456, would require school bus drivers, aides, and other school bus personnel responsible for student safety to call 911 in the event of a potential life-threatening emergency on a school bus and report the incident to the Department of Education.

The bill also expands safety and disability interaction training requirements to cover all school bus personnel responsible for student safety and requires certain buses transporting students with disabilities to be equipped with interior cameras, real-time GPS tracking, and two-way communication equipment. Plus, the bill appropriates State funding through the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to assist school districts and school bus contractors with purchasing and installing the required safety equipment.

Alaska ‘Mini-Bus’ Bill Passes Legislature

The Alaska Legislature has approved a wide-ranging education measure that could provide nearly $150 million in additional funding for schools, energy assistance, and teacher retention efforts, according to the Juneau Independent. The legislation, House Bill 28, cleared both chambers on the final day of the regular session and now heads to Governor Mike Dunleavy for consideration.

Originally introduced by Rep. Andi Story, D-Juneau, as a student loan repayment program for teachers, the bill was expanded in the Senate to include multiple education funding and policy provisions. Supporters described the measure as a "mini-bus" bill because of its broad scope.

During floor debate, Story said, "I think what is so important about this bill is it focuses on what happens in the classroom. We know when we retain teachers that's so important for student achievement, for those relationships that can help address chronic absenteeism."

Story said the package includes $110 million in per-student funding and $29 million in energy relief payments for K-12 schools. The bill also establishes a three-year pilot loan-repayment program for teachers and provides for future energy reimbursements to school districts, subject to legislative approval. Another provision limits annual increases in required municipal contributions to school districts to 4%, shifting a greater share of funding responsibility to the state.

The measure passed the Senate 17-3, and the House 34-6, a margin supporters say would be sufficient to override a veto if necessary. Story said she would have preferred a permanent increase in education funding, but welcomed the progress made this session.

Stop-Arm Enforcement Measure Heads to Missouri Governor's Desk

Missouri lawmakers have approved legislation that would strengthen penalties for drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses, sending the measure to Governor Mike Kehoe for consideration. According to KSHB 41, the stop-arm enforcement proposal was included in a broader public safety package that cleared the legislature as the session concluded Friday, May 15.

The measure, House Bill 2742, targets motorists who fail to stop when a school bus is loading or unloading students. The legislation gained attention through reporting by KSHB 41 News reporter Marlon Martinez, whose coverage helped highlight the issue, according to Rep. Mike Jones, one of the bill's sponsors.

Under the legislation, drivers who illegally pass a stopped school bus and cause injury to a child could face felony charges. "Any driver who fails to stop for a school bus while it is receiving or discharging children and whose driver has, in the manner prescribed by law given the signal to stop, and the failure to stop results in the physical injury of a child shall be guilty of a class E felony. If the failure results in a serious physical injury, the driver shall be guilty of a class D felony," according to the bill summary.

The legislation also increases financial penalties for repeat offenders. A first offense would carry a fine of $500 to $1,000, while a second offense within five years would result in a fine of $1,000 to $2,000. Third and subsequent offenses within that period would be subject to fines of $1,500 to $3,000. The omnibus public safety package now awaits the governor's final action.

Illinois Targets Unsafe Driving Near School Buses with Higher Penalties

Illinois lawmakers have approved legislation that would increase fines for drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses, sending the measure to Governor JB Pritzker for consideration. According to WAND TV, the Illinois Senate unanimously passed House Bill 3175 on Wednesday, May 20, following unanimous approval in the House.

Current Illinois law imposes a minimum $300 fine and a six-month driver's license suspension on drivers stopped by law enforcement for violating a school bus stop-arm law. However, when violations are captured through stop-arm camera technology installed by school districts, fines are currently capped at $150.

The legislation would establish a uniform penalty structure, setting a $300 fine for a first offense and a $1,000 fine for second and subsequent violations. "It's not a mandate," said Sen. Mike Porfirio, D-Burbank. "Instead, it empowers local law enforcement with options and greater local control so they can choose what's best for their community to curb dangerous driving behavior."

Supporters of the measure say stronger penalties can help improve student safety around school buses. Advocates noted that roughly nine out of 10 motorists who receive a ticket for illegally passing a bus with its stop arm extended do not commit a second violation, suggesting enforcement efforts can be an effective deterrent.