Assigned to ED & APPROP FOR
COMMITTEE
Assigned to ED & APPROP FOR
COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Third Legislature, Second Regular Session
Purpose
Allows a school district to include any vehicle that meets the definition of a school bus in the calculation of daily route mileage and modifies the definition of school bus.
Background
Statute defines school bus as a motor vehicle designed for carrying more than 10 passengers that is either: 1) owned by any public or governmental agency or other institution and operated for the transportation of children to or from home or school on a regularly scheduled basis; or 2) privately owned and operated for compensation for the transportation of children to or from home or school on a regularly scheduled basis (A.R.S. § 28-101).
Transportation funding for school districts is calculated by multiplying a statutorily set amount, adjusted annually for inflation, by a school district's approved daily route mileage per eligible student, plus an amount spent for bus tokens and passes. Daily route mileage is the total number of miles driven daily, by all buses of the school district and through transportation contracts, transporting eligible students to and from school on scheduled routes approved by the Superintendent of Public Instruction (A.R.S. § 15-901).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state general fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Allows a school district to include any vehicle that meets the definition of a school bus in the calculation of daily route mileage.
2. Prohibits the Department of Education from denying transportation funding or state aid for a school district that transports pupils in any vehicle meeting the definition of school bus.
3. Modifies the definition of school bus to mean a motor vehicle designed for carrying at least 7, instead of more than 10, passengers and may include a van.
4. Makes technical changes.
5. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
January 30, 2018
BL/lb