State lawmakers and local officials across the country are advancing a range of measures aimed at improving school bus safety and addressing operational challenges. Recent proposals include investments in bus safety retrofits, expanded use of stop-arm enforcement cameras, and new approaches to easing driver shortages.

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

Maine Proposes Safety Retrofit Funding

Maine Gov. Janet Mills plans to seek $4.3 million in her supplemental budget to retrofit school buses with additional safety equipment, including crossing arms and anti-pinch door sensors. The proposal follows two fatal school bus-related tragedies in Rockland and Standish last year.

The funding, if approved by the Legislature, would help upgrade nearly 1,700 district-owned buses that are not currently equipped with one or both safety measures. Maine previously passed laws requiring crossing arms on 2021 model-year buses and newer, and anti-pinch door sensors on 2025 models and newer.

Mills also signed an executive order establishing the Maine School Transportation Safety Commission, which will review existing transportation rules and recommend further improvements by April 30, 2026.

Alabama Bill Targets Driver Shortages

In Alabama, the House unanimously advanced House Bill 138, a measure intended to help districts respond to ongoing school bus driver shortages.

The bill would allow certain retirees under the state Employees’ and Teachers’ Retirement Systems to return as full-time bus drivers without suspending their earned retirement benefits, provided specific conditions are met. Supporters say the legislation could expand the available driver pool, especially in rural and underserved communities where staffing gaps have disrupted routes and schedules.

HB 138 includes a sunset provision ending Dec. 31, 2030, and now moves to the Alabama Senate for consideration.

Stop-Arm Camera Enforcement Expands in Connecticut and Kentucky

Municipalities and state lawmakers continue to explore stop-arm camera enforcement as a way to reduce illegal passing of stopped school buses.

In Vernon, Connecticut, town officials approved an ordinance allowing camera-based enforcement systems to be installed on school buses. Drivers who pass buses while red lights are flashing would face a $250 fine. The system is designed to capture video evidence, license plate images, and violation details such as time and location. Town leaders emphasized that the cameras are intended to improve compliance and student safety, though some residents raised concerns about privacy and image storage policies.

Meanwhile in Kentucky, lawmakers advanced House Bill 7, which would authorize stop-arm cameras statewide. Under the proposal, first-time violators would face a $300 fine, with repeat offenses increasing to $500. The bill would require buses to display warning signage and would include law enforcement review of recorded violations before citations are issued.

As of late 2025, the National Conference of State Legislatures reported that at least 30 states already have stop-arm camera laws in place.

New York Mandate Highlights Electric Bus Challenges

New York’s transition mandate requiring school districts to adopt zero-emission buses by 2035 continues to generate debate at the local level.

In the Spencerport Central School District, voters rejected a proposal to purchase two electric school buses, citing concerns about costs, infrastructure readiness, and reliability. District officials said the buses would have cost $382,000 after grants, though the full price without funding would have exceeded $980,000.

The vote reflects the broader challenges districts face as they work to meet state electrification requirements, even with New York committing $500 million toward the transition.