Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill Sunday requiring the driver and passengers in commercial buses to wear seat belts, the governor’s press office said.Senate Bill 20 will enforce drivers and passengers to wear seat belts.“California is the first state to follow the National Transportation Safety Board’s 2015 recommendation that all states enact laws requiring seat belts on commercial buses to be worn by passengers as well as drivers,” the press office said.The law was passed comes after the NTSB underscored the recommendation in its report of the San Jose bus crash that killed two passengers. The bus was equipped with seat belts, but the people who lost their lives were not wearing them and were ejected from the bus, the press office said.“This is commonsense legislation that will save lives,” said Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.Last November, a new rule by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration required that all new buses have seat belts. However, neither the rule nor the California law required that passengers wear them – a gap addressed by senate bill 20, the press office said.Drivers and passengers can be fined up to $20 for a first offense and up to $50 for subsequent offenses, the press office said.The law will take effect Jan. 1.

Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill Sunday requiring the driver and passengers in commercial buses to wear seat belts, the governor’s press office said.



Senate Bill 20 will enforce drivers and passengers to wear seat belts.


“California is the first state to follow the National Transportation Safety Board’s 2015 recommendation that all states enact laws requiring seat belts on commercial buses to be worn by passengers as well as drivers,” the press office said.

The law was passed comes after the NTSB underscored the recommendation in its report of the San Jose bus crash that killed two passengers. The bus was equipped with seat belts, but the people who lost their lives were not wearing them and were ejected from the bus, the press office said.

“This is commonsense legislation that will save lives,” said Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.

Last November, a new rule by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration required that all new buses have seat belts. However, neither the rule nor the California law required that passengers wear them – a gap addressed by senate bill 20, the press office said.

Drivers and passengers can be fined up to $20 for a first offense and up to $50 for subsequent offenses, the press office said.

The law will take effect Jan. 1.