Texas School Bus Seat Belts: A State Mandate, A Local Price Tag

Texas's new law, Senate Bill 546, requires all school buses to have three-point seat belts by 2029-30, regardless of age. Local districts are calling it an "unfunded mandate" because the state provides no funding, leaving them to bear multi-million dollar costs for retrofitting or replacing buses. This situation creates significant financial strain and highlights a critical conflict between state-mandated safety improvements and local fiscal responsibility.