217 Today: Federal bill aims to enhance school bus safety, but local districts worry about costs

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The inside of one of Champaign Unit 4’s new school buses on Sept. 8, 2023. Unit 4 buses do not have seat belts.
  • Photo: Emily Hays/Illinois Public Media

Monday, November 6, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

  • Illinois Democrats are applauding yesterday’s federal appeals court ruling… upholding a state law banning assault-style firearms and high-capacity magazines.
  • After the Dennis Lab School in Decatur closed because of structural issues, one parent decided to study whether the neighborhood wanted a new school.
  • The Champaign County Environmental Stewards hosted its annual Pumpkin Smash event Saturday at the Landscape Recycling Center in Urbana to put pumpkin waste to good use. 
  • The Fighting Illini men’s basketball team starts their season Monday against the Eastern Illinois Panthers.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about whether a measure that could require Illinois school buses to install seat belts could have adverse effects because of the high costs.

Reporting today contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Emily Hays, Nour Longi, Colin Hislope and Piper Pascarella

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Farrah Anderson

Farrah Anderson is a 2024 graduate of the University of Illinois. At Illinois Public Media, Anderson works as a general assignment reporter focusing on police and investigative stories.