Bill > S1682

Introduced Session

This bill permits the holder of a valid non-commercial basic driver's license who has completed certain training to operate a Type S school bus to transport children to and from school without needing to obtain a commercial driver license, passenger endorsement, or school bus endorsement. Such drivers are subject to certain provisions of law applicable to school bus drivers as enumerated in the bill. The Commissioner of Education is required to establish a curriculum to train Type S school bus drivers on topics concerning the transportation of children to and from school. Under the bill, a person who knowingly operates a Type S school bus while transporting one or more students when the person's driving privileges are revoked or suspended is guilty of a crime of the fourth degree. A person who does so and is involved in an accident resulting in bodily injury to another person is guilty of a crime of the third degree. A person is to be permanently barred from driving a Type S school bus if the person is convicted of either of these crimes. The bill also provides that a person who is found to have left a pupil on a Type S school bus at the end of the route is to be prohibited from driving a school bus and Type S school bus for six months for a first offense and permanently barred from driving a school bus and Type S school bus for a second offense. A person is to be permanently barred from driving a school bus and Type S school bus if a pupil who was left on the Type S school bus at the end of the route was harmed as a result of foreseeable danger and the driver acted with gross negligence. A school bus driver who is found to have left a pupil on a school bus at the end of the route is prohibited from driving a Type S school bus for six months for a first offense and permanently barred from driving a Type S school bus for a second offense. A school bus driver is to be permanently barred from driving a Type S school bus if a school bus driver left a pupil on a school bus at the end of the route, the pupil was harmed as a result of foreseeable danger, and the school bus driver acted with gross negligence. A school bus who is found to have left a pupil on a Type S school bus at the end of the route is to have the driver's school bus endorsement suspended for six months for a first offense and permanently revoked for a second offense. The bill prohibits a person from driving a Type S school bus for 90 days if the driver is convicted of three or more motor vehicle moving violations in a three-year period or accumulates six or more motor vehicle penalty points while operating a commercial motor vehicle or non-commercial motor vehicle. Under the bill, the chief administrator is required to notify the Commissioner of Education of the suspension of the driver's authorization to drive a Type S school bus and the Commissioner of Education is to notify the driver's employer that the driver's authorization to drive a Type S school bus has been suspended. The employer is then required to provide a statement to the Department of Education that the driver no longer operates a Type S school bus. A driver of a Type S school bus is required to complete a defensive driving course before the driver may resume operating a Type S school bus. A "Type S school bus" is defined to mean a motor vehicle that: is operated by, or under contract with, a public or government agency, or religious or other charitable organization or corporation for the transportation of children to and from school for secular or religious education, and has a gross vehicle weight rating of 3,000 pounds or more, originally designed by the manufacturer with a maximum seating capacity of nine passengers or less excluding the driver.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Jim Beach (D)*,  Bob Singer (R)*,  Samuel Thompson (D)*,  Tony Bucco (R),  Edward Durr (R),  Vin Gopal (D),  Steven Oroho (R),  Jean Stanfield (R),  Mike Testa (R), 

Reported from Senate Committee as a Substitute, 2nd Reading (on 06/09/2022)

Official Document