Sponsors (2)
The bill directs more federal money and clearer allowable uses toward making school zones safer—likely reducing child injuries and increasing local safety projects—but it shifts funding priorities, raises fairness and privacy concerns around enforcement, and can create ongoing local cost and allocation trade-offs.
Students and children walking to/from school would see safer crossings and fewer crashes because Congress authorizes funding and interventions (crosswalks, traffic calming, flashing beacons, crossing guards, signals, pedestrian islands).
State and local governments would receive a larger share of highway-safety funds (a 10 percentage-point allocation increase), giving more money for eligible safety programs and projects.
Local governments and school districts would be able to use federal highway-safety funds for planning, education, and non-infrastructure Safe Routes to School programs, supporting walking/biking encouragement and long-term safety planning.
Increasing and redirecting federal and formula funds (including the 10 percentage-point shift) could require offsets or reduce funding available to other programs or projects, creating trade-offs for taxpayers and other priorities.
Municipalities could face ongoing installation and maintenance costs for new signals, beacons, and crossings once initial federal grants end, increasing local budget pressure.
Automated traffic enforcement and increased fines could raise privacy and fairness concerns, and impose higher costs on drivers—particularly burdening low-income motorists.
Based on analysis of 5 sections of legislative text.
Clarifies allowable uses of federal highway safety funds for nine school‑zone safety measures and raises a §402 allocation share from 40% to 50%.
Introduced December 17, 2025 by Alice Costandina Titus · Last progress December 17, 2025
Permits federal highway safety program funds to pay for nine specified school‑zone safety measures (like crossing guards, flashing beacons, crosswalks, traffic calming, automated enforcement, and Safe Routes non‑infrastructure) and raises a formula allocation share in the highway safety program from 40% to 50%. It also directs the Secretary of Transportation to issue regulations clarifying that these uses are allowable under the statute. One amendment referenced in the text is not provided, so some details remain unclear.