New Jersey Senate approves special education bus safety bill

New Jersey lawmakers have passed a new bill to improve school bus safety for students with disabilities. The state Senate voted unanimously on Monday in favor of creating a Special Education Transportation Task Force. This task force will have 22 members and will study ways to reform the transportation system used by special education students. The legislation follows recent tragic incidents, including the deaths of three students. It also comes after another measure was given preliminary approval a week earlier, which aims to require video cameras and GPS tracking on buses for disabled students. Senators Kristin Corrado and Patrick Diegnan sponsored the bill, which passed with a vote of 39-0. The task force will include parents, educators, state officials, and advocates. They will examine how bus drivers and aides are trained and how they manage emergencies. They will also look at whether current education plans properly address the transportation needs of students with disabilities. The bill is partly a response to tragic incidents, such as the death of Matthew Rossi, a 19-year-old with disabilities who died after a bus ride in 2023. His mother has been vocal about the need for improved safety and accountability in the transportation of special education students. In addition to increasing safety, the legislation aims to hold local school boards accountable. Organizations like Disability Rights New Jersey and the New Jersey Education Association will also participate in the task force. Next, an identical bill in the Assembly needs to pass before it can go to the governor for final approval.