Monitoring the Session

SB 546

bill requiring three-point seat belts on every school bus

Became law, effective Sep 1, 2025

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Sen. José MenéndezDSenate 26

Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to seat belts on buses that transport children.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

The 2017-and-older exemption and the can’t-afford-it exemption both go.

The bill requires every bus a school district runs or contracts for to carry schoolchildren to have a three-point seat belt for each passenger and the driver. It drops the old exemptions for buses from model year 2017 or earlier and for districts that said they could not afford belted buses. A district that decides in a public vote that three-point belts are not feasible must still install two-point lap belts, and districts may accept gifts and grants to pay for this, starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: CROSS-PARTY HANDOFF. Lead author José Menéndez (D) in the Senate. Lead sponsor Tom Craddick (R) in the House. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB546 · 2024-12-06

SOLD BY

Sen. José MenéndezDSenate 26

+ 3 coauthors

ITEM

relating to seat belts on buses that transport children.

WHAT IT DOES

The 2017-and-older exemption and the can’t-afford-it exemption both go.

The bill requires every bus a school district runs or contracts for to carry schoolchildren to have a three-point seat belt for each passenger and the driver. It drops the old exemptions for buses from model year 2017 or earlier and for districts that said they could not afford belted buses. A district that decides in a public vote that three-point belts are not feasible must still install two-point lap belts, and districts may accept gifts and grants to pay for this, starting September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version S · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version S · April 11, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

  1. Received by the Secretary of the Senate
  2. Filed
  3. Read first time
  4. Referred to Transportation
  5. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  6. Considered in public hearing
  7. Testimony taken in committee
  8. Left pending in committee
  9. Considered in public hearing
  10. Vote taken in committee
  11. Reported favorably as substituted
  12. Committee report printed and distributed
  13. Co-author authorized
  14. Placed on intent calendar
  15. Co-author authorized
  16. Rules suspended-Regular order of business
  17. Record vote
  18. Read 2nd time
  19. Amendment(s) offered FA1 Menéndez
  20. Amended
  21. Vote recorded in Journal
  22. Passed to engrossment as amended
  23. Record vote
  24. Three day rule suspended
  25. Record vote
  26. Read 3rd time
  27. Passed
  28. Record vote
  29. Reported engrossed
  30. Received from the Senate
  31. Read first time
  32. Referred to Transportation
  33. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  34. Considered in public hearing
  35. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  36. Left pending in committee
  37. Considered in formal meeting
  38. Recommended to be sent to Local & Consent
  39. Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
  40. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  41. Committee report distributed
  42. Comm. report sent to Local & Consent Calendar
  43. Considered in Local & Consent Calendars
  44. Placed on Local, Consent, and Res. Calendar
  45. Withdrawn from calendar (contested)
  46. Returned to Local & Consent Calendars Comm.
  47. Considered in Local & Consent Calendars
  48. Transferred to Calendars Committee
  49. Committee report sent to Calendars
  50. Considered in Calendars
  51. Placed on General State Calendar
  52. Read 2nd time
  53. Passed to 3rd reading
  54. Read 3rd time
  55. Passed
  56. Record vote RV#3665
  57. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  58. House passage reported
  59. Reported enrolled
  60. Signed in the Senate
  61. Signed in the House
  62. Sent to the Governor
  63. Signed by the Governor
  64. Effective on 9/1/25
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 104 yea · 38 nay

Senate · 23 yea · 8 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 27, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate: Final passage · Apr 22, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

José Menéndez

Donors

Kickapoo Traditional Tribes of Texas$25KTexas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$20KTexas REALTORS Political Action Committee$10K

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 5, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Kickapoo Traditional Tribes of Texas$25,000.00

Kickapoo Traditional Tribes of Texas

$25,000.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$25,000.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Jan 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Jan 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101065471.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$20,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$20,000.00

Cash
$20,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$20,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 12, 2024 to Oct 5, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101012370, 101032316, 101072614.

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$10,000.00

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$10,000.00

Cash
$10,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$10,000.00

Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 2, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101032316.

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

×

Kickapoo Traditional Tribes of Texas

$25,000.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$25,000.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Jan 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Jan 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101065471.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$20,000.00

Cash
$20,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$20,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 12, 2024 to Oct 5, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101012370, 101032316, 101072614.

×

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$10,000.00

Cash
$10,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$10,000.00

Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 2, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101032316.

Votes5

House May 27, 2025

Yea
104
Nay
38
Present, not voting
2
Absent
3
Excused
3
Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 3665

SB 546 was passed by (Record 3665): 104 Yeas, 38 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

  • Yea: 104 (published)
  • Nay: 38 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 3 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 3 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate Apr 22, 2025

Yea
23
Nay
8
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
0
Excused
0
Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

Senate journal

Sources

The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote: Yeas 23, Nays 8.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

  • Yea: 23 (published)
  • Nay: 8 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate Apr 22, 2025

Yea
25
Nay
6
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
0
Excused
0
Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

Senate journal

Sources

Senator Menéndez moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that CSSB 546 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 25, Nays 6.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

  • Yea: 25 (published)
  • Nay: 6 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate Apr 22, 2025

Yea
23
Nay
8
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
0
Excused
0
Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

Senate journal

Sources

CSSB 546 as amended was passed to engrossment by the following vote: Yeas 23, Nays 8.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

  • Yea: 23 (published)
  • Nay: 8 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate Apr 22, 2025

Yea
23
Nay
8
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
0
Excused
0
Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

Senate journal

Sources

Senator Menéndez moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration CSSB 546 at this time on its second reading: CSSB 546, Relating to seat belts on buses that transport children. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 23, Nays 8.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

  • Yea: 23 (published)
  • Nay: 8 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Witnesses19
For
17
Against
0
On
2
Names

For

  • Dallas Police Association1 registration
  • Game Warden Peace Officers Assoc.1 registration
  • Houston Police Officers Union (HPOU)1 registration
  • National Assoc. of Bus Crash Families2 registrations
  • National Association of Bus Crash Families1 registration
  • Self; Houston Police Officers’ Union1 registration
  • Self; National Assoc. of Bus Crash Victims Families1 registration
  • Self; Texas School Nurses Organization1 registration
  • Self; TX-AFT1 registration
  • Sheriffs’ Association of Texas1 registration
  • Texas Association of School Boards1 registration
  • Texas Municipal Police Association (TMPA)1 registration
  • Texas State Teachers Association1 registration
  • TMPA1 registration
  • West Brook Bus Crash Families2 registrations

On

  • Self1 registration
  • TEA1 registration
Sources

19 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

House witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Senate witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Fiscal

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version S · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version S · April 11, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Dec 6, 2024

06/20/2025 E Effective on 9/1/25

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · Senate Committee Report · Engrossed · House Committee Report · Enrolled

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Coauthors
César BlancoDSenate 29 Sarah EckhardtDSenate 14 Royce WestDSenate 23
Sponsors
Tom CraddickRHouse 82

House committee · Transportation · Committee vote 13 aye, 0 nay · Out of committee

Senate committee · Transportation · Committee vote 6 aye, 2 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee

Subjects

Education--School Districts

Minors--Health & Safety

Vehicles & Traffic--Equipment

Vehicles & Traffic--General

SCHOOL BUSES & SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS

SEAT BELTS

EDUCATION AGENCY, TEXAS

Text

The text as introduced · 296 words

89R5175 GP-D

By: Menéndez
S.B. No. 546

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to seat belts on buses that transport children.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 547.701, Transportation Code, is amended

by amending Subsection (e) and adding Subsection (f) to read as

follows:

(e) In this subsection, "bus" includes a school bus, school

activity bus, multifunction school activity bus, or

school-chartered bus. Except as otherwise provided by this

subsection, a [ A ] bus operated by or contracted for use by a school

district for the transportation of schoolchildren shall be equipped

with a three-point seat belt for each passenger, including the

operator. A bus shall be equipped with a two-point seat belt for

each passenger, including the operator, if the board of trustees

for the school district:

(1) determines it is not feasible, in consideration of

the district's budget and student needs, for the district to equip

the district's buses with three-point seat belts as required by

this subsection; and

(2) [ This subsection does not apply to:

[ (1) a bus purchased by a school district that is a

model year 2017 or earlier; or

[ (2) a bus purchased by a school district that is a

model year 2018 or later if the board of trustees for the school

district:

[ (A) determines that the district's budget does

not permit the district to purchase a bus that is equipped with the

seat belts required by this subsection; and

[ (B) ] votes to approve that determination in a

public meeting.

(f) A school district may accept gifts, grants, and

donations from any public or private source to implement the

requirements of Subsection (e).

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.