H 4524 General Bill, By J. Brown, A.W. Byrd, Cobb-Hunter, Cork, K.G. Kempe, 
H.H. Keyserling, S.G. Manly, I.K. Rudnick, Scott and L.S. Taylor
 A Bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Section
 59-67-95 so as to provide that all school buses must be equipped with lap or
 shoulder harness safety belts; and to amend Section 56-5-6530, relating to
 exceptions for mandatory use of seat belts, so as to delete the exception for
 school buses.

   03/05/92  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-6
   03/05/92  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works HJ-7
   05/05/92  House  Tabled in committee

A BILL

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 59-67-95 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT ALL SCHOOL BUSES MUST BE EQUIPPED WITH LAP OR SHOULDER HARNESS SAFETY BELTS; AND TO AMEND SECTION 56-5-6530, RELATING TO EXCEPTIONS FOR MANDATORY USE OF SEAT BELTS, SO AS TO DELETE THE EXCEPTION FOR SCHOOL BUSES.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 59-67-95. Every school bus must be equipped with safety belts for use by each person riding the bus. The safety belts must be of a design to provide a lap belt for pelvic restraint or a shoulder harness to restrain upper torso movement.

The State Department of Education shall promulgate regulations on the type and specification of these safety belts to be installed on school buses."

SECTION 2. Item 3 of Section 56-5-6530 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(3) school, church, or day care buses;"

SECTION 3. Upon approval by the Governor, this act takes effect July 1, 1993.