HB 1094: Georgia School Bus Safety and Modernization Act; enact

Georgia currently reimburses local school districts for student transportation costs through a formula that has required regular bus service to be fully funded before other transportation, like field trips, gets money. This bill, called the Georgia School Bus Safety and Modernization Act, rewrites that formula in O.C.G.A. § 20-2-188. It requires the State Board of Education to calculate and distribute up to 100 percent of each district's projected transportation costs twice a year, removes the rule that regular bus service must be funded first, and requires the state to collaborate with districts and let them submit their own cost information. It adds health insurance costs to the funding formula, raises the minimum monthly pay for bus drivers from $500 to $2,000, and expands eligible funding to any 'school vehicle,' not just traditional buses. It also lets students within one and a half miles of school count for transportation funding if they cannot safely walk. A new Code Section 20-2-1129 creates a statewide vehicle database, a replacement schedule for buses over 12 years old or 200,000 miles, and a grant program, subject to legislative funding, for vehicle purchases, GPS and safety cameras, ADA equipment, and clean fuel conversions.

• Requires the State Board of Education to distribute up to 100 percent of a district's projected student transportation costs twice each school year, instead of capping funds without a floor.
• Removes the requirement that regular bus service be fully funded before other transportation, such as field trips, receives money.
• Raises the minimum monthly salary the state sets for school vehicle drivers from $500 to $2,000 for 12 months, with annual updates required.
• Expands the definition of covered 'school vehicles' beyond traditional buses to include other vehicles districts use to transport students.
• Creates a new grant program (Code Section 20-2-1129) to reimburse districts for vehicle purchases, GPS and safety cameras, ADA-compliant equipment, and clean fuel conversions, prioritized for older fleets and high-need districts.
• Lets students living within one and a half miles of school count toward transportation funding if they cannot safely walk due to unsafe conditions like missing sidewalks or busy intersections.

Local school districts (called local units of administration) and the State Board and Department of Education, which manage transportation funding; school bus and vehicle drivers, who would see a higher state-set minimum salary; students, particularly those in rural or high-density areas, with disabilities, or near unsafe walking routes; and the Environmental Protection Division, which is notified about vehicle refurbishments.

Districts could receive significantly more state money for transportation, potentially covering the full cost of their bus programs rather than a capped share, while drivers would see a large pay floor increase. Older or high-need districts would gain access to grants for buses, safety equipment, and vehicle replacement, changing how transportation budgets and fleets are managed statewide.

• Section 1 names the bill the 'Georgia School Bus Safety and Modernization Act.'
• Section 2 lists legislative findings citing aging bus fleets, driver shortages, and uneven rural cost burdens as reasons for the changes.
• Section 3 revises O.C.G.A. § 20-2-188 to require the state to fund up to 100 percent of projected transportation costs twice yearly, add health insurance to the cost formula, and require the Department of Education to update cost schedules by March 1 and November 1 and publish them online.
• Section 3 also raises the minimum monthly driver salary from $500 to $2,000 and requires annual updates to that schedule.
• Section 3 expands eligibility for transportation funding to students within one and a half miles of school who cannot safely walk due to conditions like missing sidewalks or congested intersections.
• Section 4 adds new Code Section 20-2-1129 creating a statewide school vehicle database tracking age, mileage, and fuel type, plus a replacement schedule for vehicles over 12 years old or 200,000 miles.
• Section 4 establishes a grant program, subject to legislative appropriations, for vehicle purchases, GPS and safety camera systems, ADA-compliant equipment, and clean fuel conversions, prioritizing older fleets and high-need districts.
• Section 5 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2026-02-03House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-02-02House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-01-29House Hopper (House)

• Viola Davis (D, HD-087)Primary sponsor
• Sandra Scott (D, HD-076)
• Kim Schofield (D, HD-063)

• school bus safety
• school transportation funding
• bus driver pay
• education funding
• student safety