 The law amends the Illinois Vehicle Code to require that all school
bus drivers conduct comprehensive post-trip inspections to ensure
that children, and other passengers, are not left unattended on a
bus. The new law also requires that all school buses be equipped
with two-way radio systems designed to alert drivers to incoming
communications, requests or alerts from school districts or
emergency service providers."The safety of our children is of
paramount importance to the people of Illinois," Quinn said. "This
new law prevents children from being left unattended on a school bus
and also ensures that bus drivers receive important information
while on the road."
At a bill-signing ceremony at the Andrew Jackson Language
Academy, the governor signed into law
Senate Bill 932, which was sponsored by Sen. James DeLeo,
D-Chicago, and Rep. John Fritchey, D-Chicago. The law is effective
immediately.
Failure to conduct a post-trip bus inspection can result in the
driver's permit being suspended by the Illinois secretary of state.
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In addition, the new law states that school bus owners must provide
emergency two-way radios that enable drivers to send and receive
information from their companies and local public safety agencies.
Drivers are required to test the radios before their bus can be
operated. Prior to this law, the state allowed school buses to be
equipped with two-way radios at the bus owner's discretion.
At the signing event, the governor was joined by Jesse White,
Illinois secretary of state.
[Text from the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information]
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