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A fatal bus crash north of Dallas that killed at least 16 people is the latest in a series of motorcoach accidents that has prompted Congress to speed up the process tightening regulations involving bus operators.

Proposed federal legislation would require bus operators to provide additional training, enhanced safety measures and new safety equipment to protect and restrain passengers.

The Motorcoach Enhanced Safety Act of 2007, or Senate Bill 2326, is one such bill, proposed by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson, R-TX, and Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio. The bill, which was introduced last year, will be discussed at an upcoming meeting of the Senate’s Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure Safety and Security subcommittee, Hutchinson’s office confirmed Tuesday. The sponsoring lawmakers hope to have the bill passed by the end of this year.

The act includes provisions for improved safety technologies, better training for bus operators and drivers, as well as advanced security devices and measures to protect passengers from being ejected or severely injured during rollovers, fires and other serious accidents. The bill also asks the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to enhance its federal safety standards when dealing with the bus industry and to enhance the requirements of drivers and motorcoach companies.

A sister bill, H.R payday loans. 4690, has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Penn. The bill proposes amending federal transportation law to require the Secretary of Transportation to introduce updated federal motor vehicle safety standards to keep motorcoach passengers protected during major accidents.

In addition, to the recent wreck north of Dallas, legislators say three people were killed and 27 were injured in Northern Mississippi on Aug. 1 when a bus carrying tourists to the airport overturned. On Aug. 9, 29 bus passengers were injured when a casino bus in Las Vegas swerved off an interstate, hitting a center divider. Four of the passengers ended up in critical condition. In 2005, 23 people from a nursing home were killed when their bus caught fire on the way to Dallas as it was evacuating the gulf because of Hurricane Rita.