by Nicole Pisciani • March 7, 2025
Gov. Mike DeWine’s executive budget, which was introduced as House Bill (HB) 96, primarily focused on the funding components of transportation plus the initiatives developed in the School Bus Safety Workgroup. The introduced bill would increase the minimum state share of transportation to 45.83% in fiscal year (FY) 26 and 50% in FY 27. The current state share is 41.67% and the increased percentages are consistent with the Fair School Funding Plan’s transportation phase-in.
In August 2023, DeWine brought together 13 partnering groups and individuals to serve on a panel to review the state's school bus-related regulations and safety requirements. The group released its report on Jan. 31, 2024, which included 17 recommendations. HB 96 includes a couple of those recommendations. Specifically, as it pertains to annual driver training requirements, the bill requires that, by July 1, 2026, employed school bus and motor van drivers must annually complete six hours of in-service training. Current law requires four hours annually. The bill also requires that the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW) develop the curriculum for the in-service training and approve training providers by July 1, 2026. Lastly, the bill authorizes the classroom portion of school bus driver recertification training to be conducted online. This is similar to current law that allows for courses for pre-service training and annual in-service training to be conducted online.
Another recommendation that is included is school bus safety grants, in the amount of $30 million, that can be used in accordance with guidelines established by ODEW and the Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS). The grant money could be used for the following safety features:
- external school bus cameras
- crossing arms
- lane-departure warning systems
- electronic stability control
- lighted crossover mirrors
- Colorado Rack Test-approved bus frames
- fully illuminated stop arms at the front and rear of the bus
- fully illuminated “school bus” signs
- collision-avoidance systems
- all LED lights
- ground wash lights
- reflective chevron
As it pertains to the school bus safety grant, ODEW would create an application for eligible applicants to provide details on the funding amount, number of buses affected and specific safety improvements. A school district could use the funds for repairs or replacements, or adding safety features to active buses. The funds also could be used for enhancements when purchasing new buses. Additionally, ODEW would be required to apply a measure of local capacity in determining grant allocations. The bill also indicates who is eligible to apply for the school bus safety grants, including:
- city, local, exempted village or joint vocational school districts;
- community schools;
- STEM schools;
- county board of developmental disabilities;
- chartered nonpublic schools
The list currently doesn’t include educational services centers (ESCs) and OSBA is working to get an amendment to the bill that would add ESCs to the specified list.
The introduced bill does not contain any additional transportation policy changes. However, as the bill moves through the legislative process, it could pick up additional changes. It is likely that either the House or Senate or both could include additional school bus safety items. Both are considering competing, stand-alone school bus bills. The main difference between the bills, outlined below, is that one has the illegal passage as a criminal violation and the other has it as a civil penalty.
HB 3 — Enact the School Bus Safety Act
The “School Bus Safety Act” would appropriate $25 million to create a School Bus Safety Grant Fund at ODEW to help districts with the cost of installing safety features on new and existing school buses. The bill would also increase the penalties for illegally passing a stopped school bus and designate August as “School Bus Safety Month.”
Senate Bill (SB) 62 — Enact the School Bus Safety Act
SB 62 is the Senate’s version of the “School Bus Safety Act.” This bill would allow civil penalties for illegally passing a school bus if the driver cannot be identified. SB 62 directs fees and fines related to illegally passing a school bus to the school bus safety grant fund at ODEW. Additionally, the bill designates the month of August as "School Bus Safety Awareness Month."