SBF 70 years logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Tennessee Lawmaker Pulls Mandatory School Bus Seat Belt Bill

Rep. JoAnne Favors removes her proposed bill, which would require that school buses be equipped with a “restraint system,” from consideration for the rest of the year due to lack of committee support.

Nicole Schlosser
Nicole SchlosserFormer Executive Editor
May 9, 2017
Tennessee Lawmaker Pulls Mandatory School Bus Seat Belt Bill

Rep. JoAnne Favors removed her proposed bill, which would require that school buses be equipped with a “restraint system,” from consideration for the rest of the year due to lack of committee support.

Photo: Des Moines (Iowa) Public Schools

2 min to read


The author of a proposed bill that would require that Tennessee school buses be equipped with a “restraint system” decided last week to remove it from consideration for the rest of the year.

Rep. JoAnne Favors’ bill, HB 395, would apply to new school buses purchased on or after July 1, 2019, and as of July 1, 2023, all school buses statewide would have to be equipped with a restraint system. The bill had passed the House Education and Administration Planning Committee, the House Government Operations Committee, and the Finance Ways and Means Committee last month.

However, Favors told Chattanooga Times Free Press that she didn’t think the bill had enough support in the Finance Committee. The bill will stay in that committee until next year, when she will resume her fight for the bill, according to the newspaper.

HB 395 has been questioned due to concerns over cost and effectiveness, and the House and Senate Finance Committees will only consider it, along with other bills that were placed “behind the budget,” after the state’s annual spending plan is passed, Chattanooga Times Free Press reports.

On Thursday, suggested amendments to the bill, including one that would provide the first year of funding for it, and another that would provide money for a study on the use of bus seat belts, put it in limbo, according to the newspaper.

As previously reported, HB 395 is also opposed by some school districts, bus drivers, and lawmakers, who are concerned about the ability of young children to free themselves in the event of a crash or fire.

The bill is intended to address school bus safety in response to a school bus crash in Chattanooga in November that killed six students and injured 31 others. Johnthony Walker, the bus driver, was indicted on six counts of vehicular homicide in March and faces several other charges.

More Safety

Waymo’s fully autonomous legacy Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan at a crosswalk with a red overlay and text reading "Are Autonomous Vehicles Ready to Safely Navigate School Bus Stops?"
Safetyby Elora HaynesAugust 11, 2026

Are Autonomous Vehicles Ready to Safely Navigate School Bus Stops?

NHTSA is accelerating autonomous vehicle deployment through new safety standards and commercial approvals. See why school transportation leaders are watching.

Read More →
Graphic promoting a school bus safety public service announcement featuring NFL Hall of Famer Lomas Brown. The graphic shows Brown speaking in front of a stopped school bus with students crossing in a video displayed on a laptop screen, alongside the headline, "Lomas Brown Says: 'No Rushing Around the School Bus,'" and the School Bus Fleet logo.
Safetyby Staff and News ReportsAugust 10, 2026

NFL Star Lomas Brown Kicks Off New Illegal School Bus Passing PSA

Just in time for the back-to-school season, the former Detroit Lions offensive tackle took time to record a video encouraging motorists to slow down around school buses.

Read More →
Graphic titled "NSC Award Winners" featuring two group photos of National Safety Council award recipients. One group holds an "Our Driving Concern Employer Traffic Safety Award" banner, while the other poses with a recognition plaque at the 2026 Texas Traffic Safety Conference.
Safetyby Amanda HuggettAugust 4, 2026

How Two Texas Districts Built Award-Winning Safety Programs

Learn how Prosper ISD and Rockwall ISD earned National Safety Council honors through hands-on training, safety culture, and strategies that reduced transportation incidents.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A close up detail of the back of a school bus with text reading "Insight From 10 Years of NHTSA Data."
Safetyby Elora HaynesJuly 22, 2026

NHTSA Releases 10-Year Review of Fatal School Bus Crashes

The latest federal analysis reinforces the safety of school buses while identifying where school-age pedestrians and other motorists remain most at risk.

Read More →
Graphic for a School Bus Fleet news story featuring the NASDPTS logo, a speaker presenting with a microphone, and the headline, "38.4 Million Stop-Arm Violations," highlighting annual illegal school bus passing estimates.
Safetyby Amanda HuggettJuly 21, 2026

2026 NASDPTS Survey: Data Shows Further Reduction of Illegal Passing

New data is in! School bus stop-arm passings are down to 38.4 million violations per year, about a 2.3% decrease from last school year — but passings on the right side of the bus are higher than ever.

Read More →
Graphic illustrating a fatal school bus incident in New York, featuring a close-up view of the front of a yellow school bus with a cracked-glass overlay and the headline, "7-Year-Old Fatally Struck in New York," dated July 9, 2026, alongside the School Bus Fleet logo.
Safetyby Staff and News ReportsJuly 9, 2026

Another School Bus Fatality Reported in Monsey, New York

A 7-year-old girl died after being struck by a school bus in Rockland County, New York while crossing the street. Here's what we know.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
School buses at NSTA's SBDISC Roadeo with text reading "School Bus Drivers Put Their Skills to the Test."
Safetyby Staff and News ReportsJune 30, 2026

NSTA Announces 2026 School Bus Driver International Safety Competition Winners

Drivers from across the U.S. and Canada showcased their safety and driving skills, with two defending champions successfully retaining their titles.

Read More →
zonar system image
SponsoredJune 22, 2026

The Driver Shortage Playbook

Driver shortages are still a major challenge for student transportation fleets, but the real issue has shifted. It’s no longer just about filling seats quickly. It’s about finding safe, reliable drivers who meet performance expectations and want to stay. The Driver Shortage Playbook covers why traditional recruitment tactics are falling short and how school fleets are adapting with smarter hiring, stronger retention strategies and a greater focus on driver quality.

Read More →
Promotional graphic for a new Pro-Vision AI camera system. The image shows a monitor displaying camera views with AI object detection overlays, along with multiple cameras and recording hardware. Text reads "New Product," "Pro-Vision," and "Visibly Better." School Bus Fleet logo appears in the lower-right corner.
SafetyJune 11, 2026

Pro-Vision Launches AI-Powered 360° Camera System

The new Birdseye camera delivers real-time AI-based pedestrian and vehicle detections, full visibility around the bus, and telematics integrations.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A New York school bus in the street.
Safetyby Elora HaynesJune 9, 2026

N.Y. & N.J. Coalitions Call for Modernized Transportation for Vulnerable Students

New statewide coalitions in New York and New Jersey are urging lawmakers to expand student transportation options for vulnerable students amid ongoing driver shortages.

Read More →