Cooney charter bus safety bill heads to Hochul

Car Crash Genesee New York in Genesee, New York: Sen. Jeremy Cooney, D-Rochester, announced the passage of a bill (S8691) requiring charter bus drivers to conduct pre-trip safety briefings informing passengers of seatbelt requirements. The bill was prompted by a 2025 crash on the New York State Thruway in Genesee County that killed five people, and a 2024 fatal charter bus crash on Long Island involving two adult chaperones on a school trip. The bill has been sent to Governor Hochul's office to be signed and will take effect one year after becoming law.