California Code, Vehicle Code - VEH § 27316

(a) Unless specifically prohibited by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, all schoolbuses purchased or leased for use in California shall be equipped at all designated seating positions with a combination pelvic and upper torso passenger restraint system, if the schoolbus is either of the following:

(b) For purposes of this section, a “passenger restraint system” means any of the following:

(c) A person, school district, or organization, with respect to a schoolbus equipped with passenger restraint systems pursuant to this section, shall not be charged for a violation of this code or any regulation adopted thereunder requiring a passenger to use a passenger restraint system, if a passenger on the schoolbus fails to use or improperly uses the passenger restraint system.

(d) It is the intent of the Legislature, in implementing this section, that school pupil transportation providers work to prioritize the allocation of schoolbuses purchased, leased, or contracted for on or after July 1, 2004, for type 2 schoolbuses, or on or after July 1, 2005, for type 1 schoolbuses, to ensure that elementary level schoolbus passengers receive first priority for new schoolbuses whenever feasible.

(e) On or before July 1, 2035, all schoolbuses in use in California shall be equipped with a passenger restraint system.