US Senators Young, Cortez Masto introduce bipartisan legislation to help kids get to school safely

Today, U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) introduced bipartisan legislation to help students get to school safely. The Safe Bus Routes to School Act would modify the Safe Routes to School program so that projects to improve the safety of school bus routes and stops are eligible for federal funding.

“This bill will support improvements in our communities to better ensure that young Hoosiers are safe as they travel to and from school,” said Senator Young. “This legislation builds on my previous work to help increase the safety for children on their way to and from school.”

“Clark County has the largest school bus fleet in the entire country, and 130,000 kids rely on those buses to get from home to school and back again every day,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “It’s our responsibility to make sure our students are as safe as possible. This commonsense bill would open up more funding for cities and towns across the country to make school bus routes safer.”

The Safe Routes to School program was created to help communities improve the safety of pedestrian and bike routes to schools, making funding available for projects such as building safer street crossings in a school zone. However, more than half of all K-12 students nationwide ride school buses. While school buses provide the safest mode of school transportation, safety challenges still exist. Students are the most vulnerable when waiting at bus stops, loading or unloading from buses, and while walking to the bus stop. The Safe Bus Routes to School Act would allow communities to use Safe Routes to School funding to improve the safety of school bus routes and stops through planning, education, and infrastructure improvements. 

The full text of the legislation can be found here.

Senator Young has been a strong advocate for roadway safety, especially when it comes to the well-being of young students. In September of 2025, Young introduced the Brake for Kids Act, legislation to increase public awareness about the dangers of illegally passing a stopped school bus.