THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 2026 Page 3 City Council unanimously passes resolution supporting legislation to modernize student transportation Resolution supports MA FASST coalition efforts to lower school transportation costs and address vendor shortages Special to Th e Advocate T he Revere City Council voted unanimously on Monday, July 27, to pass a resolution supporting the Massachusetts Friends of Aff ordable, Safe Student Transportation (MA FASST) coalition and endorsing House Bill 3772 (fi led by Representative Jeff rey Roy, Franklin) and Senate Bill 3021 (fi led by Senator Brendan Crighton, Lynn). The resolution urges the Massachusetts Legislature to swiftly pass legislation that will provide immediate operational and fi nancial relief to municipalities, especially for those with special education students and students experiencing homelessness. The City Council’s resolution highlights the soaring cost of specialized transportation, pointing to recent fi ndings from the state Offi ce of the Inspector General that identifi ed barriers to market competition, including outdated mandates for permanent vehicle modifi cations that restrict the pool of available vendors, increasing costs and district defi cits across the state, specifi cally under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 90, Section 7D rules. The bills, H.3772 and S.3021, update Section 7D regulations for post-2018 vehicles by replacing permanent vehicle requirements with more options while strengthening applicable safety standards under existing law. “We all have seen the impact with the cost of transportation over the last few years,” Councillor-at-Large Marc Silvestri said during the meeting. “It would help save a lot of money for our special needs transportation, so this is something that we would support.” State Senator Lydia Edwards (Third Suffolk District) voiced support for the effort: “Modernizing our student transportation rules is a win-win for our communities. It maintains the highest safety standards for our students while delivering meaningful fi scal relief to Revere and school districts across the Commonwealth.” “Every student deserves safe, reliable transportation to and from school, and our communities deserve policies that make providing that service more affordable. This legislation is a practical, commonsense update that maintains strong safety standards while helping school districts reduce costs, increase competition among transportation providers, and better serve students with specialized transportation needs,” said State Representative Jessica Giannino (16th Suff olk District). “I appreciate the Revere City Council for unanimously supporting this important eff ort, and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in the Legislature to move these reforms forward.” By passing this resolution, Revere joins a growing group of Massachusetts communities advocating for commonsense reforms to lower transportation costs while maintaining safe student transportation. This comes as Attorney General Andrea J. Campbell’s offi ce announced a $2.4 million settlement with a school busing company for illegally colluding and infl ating special education transportation prices in several school districts. By replacing outdated vehicle mandates that restrict market entry, H.3772 and S.3021 would advance essential goodgovernment principles, opening the market to more vendors, increasing competitive bidding and protecting taxpayer dollars from predatory pricing. Lawrence A. Simeone Jr. Attorney-at-Law ~ Since 1989 ~ * Corporate Litigation * Criminal/Civil * MCAD * Zoning/Land Court * Wetlands Litigation * Workmen’s Compensation * Landlord/Tenant Litigation * Real Estate Law * Construction Litigation * Tax Lien * Personal Injury * Bankruptcy * Wrongful Death * Zoning/Permitting Litigation 300 Broadway, Suite 1, Revere * 781-286-1560 lsimeonejr@simeonelaw.net SABATINO/MASTROCOLA INSURANCE AGENCY 519 BROADWAY EVERETT, MA 02149 Auto * Home * Boat * Renter * Condo * Life * Multi-Policy Discounts * Commercial 10% Discounts * Registry Service Also Available PHONE: (617) 387-7466 FAX: (617) 381-9186 Visit us online at:WWW.SABATINO-INS.COM
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