The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Maryland exempts school bus driver seats from specific fire block upholstery test requirements
Last action · May 12, 2026: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 524Sponsor: Jason Gallion
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What This Bill Does
Maryland enacts a law exempting the driver's seat of a school bus from meeting the criteria established by the National Congress on School Transportation, effective July 1, 2026.
Changes safety standard requirements for school bus manufacturing by removing fire block upholstery mandates specifically for driver seats.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
school bus drivers
Driver seats they use are no longer required to meet specific national fire block upholstery test criteria.
school bus manufacturers
They are no longer required to use materials meeting certain fire block test criteria specifically for the driver's seat.
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 specific part of a school bus is affected by this law?
When does this law go into effect?
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
16 actions- May 12, 2026Governor of MarylandEnrolledApproved by the Governor - Chapter 524
- Apr 13, 2026SenateFloorReturned Passed
- Apr 13, 2026HouseFloorThird Reading Passed (134-0)
- Apr 10, 2026HouseFloorFavorable Adopted Second Reading Passed
- Apr 9, 2026HouseCommitteeFavorable Report by Environment and Transportation
- Mar 25, 2026HouseHearing 3/31 at 1:00 p.m. (Environment and Transportation)
Show 10 earlier actions
- Mar 23, 2026HouseCommitteeReferred Environment and Transportation Ways and Means
- Mar 23, 2026SenateFloorThird Reading Passed (41-0)
- Mar 20, 2026SenateFloorSecond Reading Passed with Amendments
- Mar 20, 2026SenateFavorable with Amendments { 223529/1 Adopted
- Mar 20, 2026SenateFloorMotion Special Order until Later Today (Senator Feldman) Adopted
- Mar 20, 2026SenateFavorable with Amendments { 223529/1
- Mar 20, 2026SenateCommitteeFavorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment
- Mar 6, 2026SenateHearing 3/17 at 1:00 p.m.
- Mar 4, 2026SenateCommitteeRereferred to Education, Energy, and the Environment
- Feb 13, 2026SenateIntroducedFirst Reading Senate Rules
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
Connected Entities
Sources
mgaleg.maryland.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance25How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy5Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment2Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz10Current news / social attention level
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