SECTION 1. Section 7B of chapter 90 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:-

Every school bus that is used for the transportation of school children to and from a public, charter, vocational, private or parochial school or in connection with school activities shall be equipped with seatbelts for each permanent seating accommodation on the school bus in compliance with applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. Any person or company contracting with or intending to contract with a school district or a charter, vocational, private or parochial school for the transportation of school children, shall file a notice with the department of elementary and secondary education affirming that all school buses, to be utilized in performance of the contract, are in compliance with this paragraph.

SECTION 2. Section 1 shall take effect 1 year after its passage; provided, however, that any person or company that is a party to a contract existing as of the effective date of section 1 with a school district or a charter, vocational, private or parochial school for the transportation of school children, shall notify the department of elementary and secondary education that its school buses are in compliance with section 7B of chapter 90 of the General Laws, as amended by section 1, as soon as compliance occurs and no later than the effective date of section 1.