Bill > A1016

This bill, titled the "School Bus Safety and Child Protection Act," mandates periodic criminal background checks for certain school employees, specifically school bus drivers and aides, requiring these checks every five years to ensure they do not have disqualifying criminal history records, and also prohibits tampering with or disabling cameras or other monitoring devices installed on school buses. The act amends existing laws to include school buses in provisions that already cover patrol vehicles regarding interference with monitoring devices, and it clarifies that charter schools, which are schools established under specific legislation (P.L.1995, c.426), must also adhere to these background check requirements if they receive state or federal funds for school bus services. Furthermore, if a school employee with a previously cleared criminal history record is charged with certain crimes, they will be temporarily suspended until the charges are resolved, and terminated if found guilty of disqualifying offenses, with the results of these background checks also being sent to the county superintendent for review.