S3071A

The New York State Senate passed S3071A, sponsored by Sen. Sanders, an act to amend the Education Law. The bill passed on a roll call vote, 60-0. The measure, which takes effect immediately, proceeded to a vote without floor debate. The bill was Calendar Number 317.

The New York State Senate passed legislation establishing a task force to review school bus safety laws and regulations, with a 61-0 vote on S3071A. Sponsored by Sen. Sanders, the bill was motivated by the 2019 death of 7-year-old Cameron Brown in a school bus accident. The task force will be empowered to examine any state laws, regulations, or programs impacting school bus safety and make recommendations for improvements, without restriction on scope. During debate, Sen. Rhoads raised concerns about the state's electric school bus mandate requiring all purchases to be electric by June 1, 2027, citing safety risks from lithium-ion batteries including spontaneous combustion, thermal runaway, and high daily out-of-service rates of 20 percent. He argued the task force should consider delaying or eliminating the electric bus mandate. Sen. Harckham countered that carbon-based vehicle fires are more prevalent and that diesel buses expose students to harmful pollutants. The bill passed with bipartisan support, with all three senators who explained their votes voting in favor.