Cortez Masto aims to expand funding for safe rides to school amid spike in CCSD pedestrian strikes

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., speaks during a news conference at the East Las Vegas Community Center Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. Photo by: Steve Marcus

U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., is pushing to extend federal safety funding to school bus routes under a bipartisan bill introduced Tuesday.

The existing Safe Routes to School program finances improvements for young pedestrians and cyclists — such as safer crossings in school zones — but excludes bus routes and stops.

Legislation co-sponsored by Cortez Masto and Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., calls for bus infrastructure to be eligible for the program’s funding for the first time.

In the Clark County School District alone, 130,000 out of about 286,000 students ride the bus. CCSD has the nation’s largest district-owned bus fleet.

“It’s our responsibility to make sure our students are as safe as possible,” Cortez Masto said in a statement. “This commonsense bill would open up more funding for cities and towns across the country to make school bus routes safer.”

Countywide figures compiled by the Clark County School District Police show that with two weeks left until summer break, 388 children have been struck by cars before and after school this year. That’s about three and a half times the number of children struck all last school year.

Of those 388 children, four died and 13 suffered serious injuries.

“Our community has seen a huge increase in the number of students hit by vehicles on their way to or from school,” Clark County School District Superintendent Jhone Ebert said. “By expanding the Safe Routes to School Program, we can better educate our students and our community about the importance of following the rules of the road so that all students can travel to and from school safely.”

Eligible projects under the ‘Safe Bus Routes to School Act’ could include improvements to sidewalks, traffic calming, speed reduction, pedestrian crossings, waiting areas at bus stops and traffic diversions on a school bus route, plus outreach and enforcement.

There is no companion legislation in the U.S. House.