Gottheimer announces state version of Miranda's Law

LODI — Today, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer, alongside State Senator Joe Lagana, Assemblywoman Lisa Swain, Assemblyman Chris Tully, and Joevanny Vargas, the father of Miranda Vargas, the 10-year-old girl killed in the Paramus bus crash in May, outlined the case for federal and state action on school bus safety.
In June, Congressman Gottheimer introduced the bipartisan Miranda Vargas School Bus Driver Red Flag Act — or “Miranda’s Law” — that would require automatic notifications of driver violations to school districts and school bus companies within 24 hours, so they can take immediate action to keep unsafe drivers off the road and away from our children. Today, the state legislators discussed their new legislation for a New Jersey version of Miranda’s Law.
“No parent should be worried about their child’s safety on his or her way to school,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “Let’s continue to honor Miranda’s life and recommit ourselves to doing everything we can to make sure our kids, our teachers, and our families are as safe as they can be. We cannot afford to let the safety of our children become a partisan issue. It is a mom and dad issue.”
Congressman Gottheimer also introduced the SECURES Act in May; a bipartisan bill co-led by Republican John Faso (NY-19) with Senate companion legislation introduced by Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) that would require that all school buses have three-point lap-and-shoulder seat belts and encourage innovative measures to ensure that students are actually wearing their seat belts while on school buses.