§ 12-826 — Seat safety belts required

(a) Beginning July 1, 2031, each designated seating position in any newly purchased school bus shall be equipped with a combination pelvic and upper torso seat safety belt system (also known as a 3-point seat safety belt, Type 2 seat safety belt, or lap and shoulder restraint system) in good operating condition and meeting all applicable federal standards. (b) Nothing in this Section requires a public or nonpublic school, school district, transportation provider or contractor, or other entity operating a school bus, including a bus driver, bus aide, volunteer, or other staff, to ensure that the seat safety belt or other restraint system is correctly adjusted and fastened or to give instruction on how to correctly adjust or fasten the seat safety belt or other restraint system. (c) This Section does not apply to a school bus that is leased by a school district or a school bus that is legally registered in another state and displaying valid registration plates of that state if the bus is not operated in Illinois in connection with a cultural, tourist, athletic, or other similar activity for students enrolled in a school located outside of Illinois. (d) As used in this Section, "school bus" has the meaning given to that term in Section 1-182.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 104-75, eff. 8-1-25.)