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Read. Follow. Verify.New Jersey Bill Mandates 911 Calls and Safety Equipment for Special Education School Buses
Last action · March 9, 2026: Withdrawn from ConsiderationSponsors: Al Barlas and 16 others
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What This Bill Proposed
Assembly Bill 132 requires school bus personnel to call 911 during potential life-threatening emergencies involving students with disabilities, report the call to the state Department of Education, and mandates that buses transporting these students be equipped with interior video cameras, real-time GPS, and two-way communication devices.
School bus operators and transportation employers face new training mandates, equipment installation schedules, and civil penalties for non-compliance, while school bus personnel face fines ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 for failing to contact 911 in life-threatening situations.
- New Jersey statutes regulate pupil transportation extensively, requiring specialized training for drivers and aides under prior laws such as P.L.2015, c.123 and P.L.2018, c.160. context
- The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission conducts regular in-terminal inspections of school buses to enforce safety compliance under the School Bus Enhanced Safety Inspection Act. context
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Students with disabilities
Receive mandatory real-time monitoring via video and GPS, along with guaranteed immediate 911 emergency response protocols during transportation.
School bus drivers and aides
Must undergo expanded safety training, comply with strict 911 notification rules during emergencies, and face substantial civil penalties for non-compliance.
Boards of education and school bus contractors
Must maintain records of emergency calls, administer expanded training programs to all personnel, and ensure buses are equipped with mandated safety technology.
Parents and guardians
Gained the legal right to file formal complaints with the Office of Special Education if they believe school bus personnel failed to initiate a required 911 call.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What triggers the mandatory 911 call under this bill?
What safety equipment must be installed on applicable school buses?
What penalties do school bus personnel face for failing to call 911?
Are video recordings and GPS data accessible to the public?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Withdrawn.
Procedural history
2 actions- Mar 9, 2026HouseWithdrawn from Consideration
- Jan 13, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Show 12 more sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Expansion of Safety Mandates from Drivers to All Bus Personnel
The legislation broadens existing statutory safety training and emergency reporting rules from solely covering drivers and aides to including any personnel responsible for student safety on special education buses.
Substantial Penalties for Non-Compliance
Establishes a graduated civil penalty structure reaching up to $25,000 for repeated failures by bus personnel to report emergencies, alongside steep fines for employers who fail to verify proper training.
Connected Entities
Sources
njleg.state.nj.us
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 75)
- Controversy25Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz35Current news / social attention level
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