44TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSION, 1999

RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES; REQUIRING SCHOOL BUSES TO HAVE SAFETY BELTS; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. Section 66-3-874 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1963, Chapter 30, Section 1) is amended to read:

"66-3-874. SAFETY BELTS REQUIRED.--

A. It is unlawful for any person to buy, sell, lease, trade or transfer from or to New Mexico residents at retail an automobile [which] that is manufactured or assembled commencing with the 1964 models unless the vehicle is equipped with safety belts installed for use in the left front and right front seats.

B. After January 1, 2000, a person shall not operate on the highway or street a school bus manufactured on or after January 1, 1997 that is not equipped with a safety belt for each permanent seat.

C. For the purposes of this section, "school bus" means a motor vehicle that is designed to carry more than eleven passengers in addition to the driver and that is used for the purpose of transporting public school students to or from public school or events related to public school."

Section 2. APPROPRIATION.--Six hundred forty-three thousand dollars ($643,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the state department of public education for expenditure in fiscal year 2000 to install safety belts on school buses. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2000 shall revert to the general fund.