NJ Legislative Disability Caucus Examines School Bus Safety for Students with Disabilities

Lawmakers, state education officials, task force leaders, and family advocates recently gathered. Specifically, they attended a session of the New Jersey Legislative Disability Caucus. Ultimately, they met to address critical safety protocols for students with disabilities who rely on school transportation. Led by Caucus Co-Chair and Senate Minority Leader Anthony M. Bucco, the meeting highlighted ongoing legislative efforts. Furthermore, state officials shared new initiatives aimed at closing safety gaps. 

Prioritizing Accountability and S2456

Opening the session, Mercedes Witowsky emphasized a crucial point. As Executive Director of the New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities, she noted that transportation staff carry immense responsibility for student safety and well-being.

Senator Bucco underscored the urgency of the issue. To address this, he pointed to constituent feedback and his sponsorship of legislation S2456. Specifically, the bill mandates that school bus personnel contact 911 immediately during life-threatening emergencies. In addition, it establishes rigorous reporting, recordkeeping, and safety equipment standards tailored for buses transporting students with special needs.

“Cameras on school buses, clear emergency protocols, and real accountability are not optional extras; they are basic safeguards that our most vulnerable students deserve,” said Senator Bucco. Consequently, he added, “This legislation was born out of real experiences and real loss, and I will not let it sit on a shelf.”

Updates from State Officials and Task Forces

• NJ Department of Education (NJDOE): Kim Murray, Ed.D., Acting Assistant Commissioner, provided key updates. For instance, she discussed driver training programs, a newly launched public-facing website, and a partnership with Safe Kids New Jersey. Furthermore, she highlighted an active statewide school bus safety study conducted alongside Rutgers University. Meanwhile, Murray noted ongoing challenges regarding compliance monitoring across New Jersey’s approximately 600 school districts, alongside regional driver recruitment hurdles. 

• Office of the Ombudsman: Christine Bakter shared insights from the Special Education Transportation Task Force. As Deputy Director of New Jersey’s Office of the Ombudsman for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities and Their Families, Bakter detailed the task force’s core focus areas. Specifically, these include emergency policies, training, certification, staffing, IEP integration, and family education. Thus, she noted that the group is actively reviewing out-of-state policies to shape robust recommendations.

Personal Advocacy and Next Step

The session featured moving testimony from family advocate Anabela Rossi. During her remarks, she shared her family’s tragic experience regarding the loss of her son, Matthew, during school transport. Highlighting communication breakdowns and missing emergency protocols, Rossi strongly urged lawmakers to back physical safety measures, individualized transportation plans, and the passage of S2456/A4479. 

Participants concluded with a shared commitment to monitor the progress of the Rutgers safety study. In addition, they explored opening future task force meetings to the public. 

• Next Session: The caucus is scheduled to reconvene on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, under the leadership of Caucus Co-Chair Senator M. Teresa Ruiz.

• Resources: Recordings and related materials from the session can be found through the New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities.