Booker, Gottheimer, Local Leaders Reintroduce Vital School Bus Safety Legislation

PARAMUS, NJ - Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) joined Congressman Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05) and state and local leaders to reintroduce legislation related to school bus safety, Miranda's Law.

"Congress has the opportunity to act swiftly and decisively to protect our nation's children," said Senator Booker. "We shouldn't wait for another tragedy to strike--like the one that took the lives of ten year old Miranda Vargas and Jennifer Williamson, a beloved Paramus teacher, eight long years ago. Miranda's Law would ensure the safety of our students every single time they step foot on a school bus, and I will do everything I can to make sure this simple, common-sense bill becomes law."

"Every parent should trust that when their child gets on a bus, they'll come home safely," said Congressman Gottheimer. "This legislation turns heartbreaking loss into action. There is nothing partisan or political about protecting our children. Working together across the aisle and across the country, we can make sure tragedies like the one here in Paramus never happen again."

MIRANDA'S LAW

On May 17, 2018, 10-year-old Paramus resident Miranda Vargas was killed in a tragic school bus crash on Rt 80 in Mount Olive when a Paramus East Brook Middle School bus made an illegal U-turn.

Information about the Miranda Vargas School Bus Driver Red Flag Act or "Miranda's Law" :

Senator Booker previously introduced S.1787, Miranda's Law, in the Senate during the 116th Congress (2019-2020).

• This bill requires real-time, 24-hour notifications from USDOT to school districts and bus companies if a school bus driver receives a driving infraction.
• It directs the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to issue a final regulation requiring the implementation of a national employer notification service that states may access.