SchoolBus logo in red and orange
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
Read Nicole's Posts
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

Kids need more from a driverless ride graphic comparing “Getting from A to B” vs “Student Transportation,” with a Waymo-style autonomous car image and School Bus Fleet logo.
SafetyFebruary 11, 2026

Autonomous Vehicles Aren’t Built for Student Transportation [Op-Ed]

Driverless cars may feel the future, but student transportation requires more than navigation. Here’s why it demands human judgment, empathy, and oversight.

Read More →
Graphic showing the front of a yellow school bus with cracked-glass overlay and headline reading “Fatal School Bus Hit & Run in New York,” dated February 5, 2026, alongside the School Bus Fleet logo.
Safetyby Staff and News ReportsFebruary 10, 2026

New York Girl Killed by School Bus Hit & Run

An 11-year-old in Brooklyn was killed crossing the street. Meanwhile, the school bus driver faces misdemeanor charges after he left the scene.

Read More →
2026 Disaster Response Guide Call for Experts is Open.
Safetyby StaffFebruary 9, 2026

Disaster Readiness Starts Before the Storm [Call for Experts]

The 2026 Disaster Response Guide is officially underway, and we’re now opening a Call for Insights and Experts.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
School Transportation
SponsoredFebruary 9, 2026

How Supplemental Transportation Helps Close Driver Gaps

Ongoing driver shortages nationwide are forcing tough transportation decisions. See how districts are using supplemental transportation to maintain coverage for high-needs students.

Read More →
Fatal School Bus Accident in New York graphic dated Jan. 29, 2026, showing a close-up of a yellow school bus with cracked-glass overlay and School Bus Fleet logo.
Safetyby StaffFebruary 3, 2026

New York 5-Year-Old Killed by School Bus, Investigation Ongoing

A Rockland County child was struck by their school bus late last week. Here's what we know so far about this and other fatalities and injuries in the area over the years.

Read More →
A red, orange and yellow graphic with anti-pinch door sensor products and text reading "Maine's New Mandate: Anti-Pinch-Sensors & Bus Safety."
Safetyby Elora HaynesJanuary 29, 2026

Prevent School Bus Dragging Incidents: Anti-Pinch Door Sensors and Maine’s New Mandate

As Maine becomes one of the first states to require anti-pinch door sensors on new school buses, manufacturers like Mayser offer a look at how the technology works and why it's a critical fail-safe.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
SponsoredJanuary 29, 2026

8 Ways To Simplify and Streamline School Bus Fleet Operations

What if your fleet technology actually worked together? Learn eight practical strategies to integrate multiple systems into one platform, unlocking clearer insights, stronger safety standards, and smoother daily operations.

Read More →
an illustration of a survey on a mobile phone with a hand on it, and the words Survey Says on it
Safetyby News/Media ReleaseJanuary 28, 2026

Survey: Most Parents Want Automated Enforcement on School Buses

A recent Verra Mobility survey reports that 82% of parents support safety cameras to penalize stop-arm violators and 70% favor automated enforcement in school zones.

Read More →
Image of an extended stop-arm with text reading "School Bus Safety: Funding Provides Bus Upgrades Across Ohio."
Safetyby StaffJanuary 27, 2026

State Grant Program Advances School Bus Safety Upgrades Across Ohio

$10 million in state grants will fund safety upgrades and new features on school buses serving students across the Buckeye State.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A white Waymo vehicle waits at a crosswalk as a family crosses.
Safetyby StaffJanuary 26, 2026

Waymo Scrutiny Intensifies as NTSB Launches Investigation

After complications in multiple cities when self-driving taxis failed to stop for school buses, the NTSB joins NHTSA in a probe to determine what's behind the tech and related safety concerns.

Read More →