SB 6031 — Modifying the student transportation allocation to accommodate multiple vehicle types for transporting students.

ENGROSSEDS-3657.1 SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 6031 State of Washington 68th Legislature 2024 Regular Session By Senate Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Braun, Dozier, Kuderer, Rivers, and Schoesler)Schoesler READPrefiled FIRST01/05/24. TIME 02/05/24.

Read first time 01/08/24.

Referred to Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education.

and amending RCW 28A.160.150, 28A.160.170, 28A.160.180, 28A.160.195, and 28A.160.210.28A.160.180.

Operating costs as determined under RCW 28A.160.150 through 28A.160.180 shall be funded at ((one hundred)) 100 percent or as close thereto as reasonably possible for transportation of an p.eligible student to and from school as defined in RCW 28A.160.160(3).

1p. ESSB 6031 eligible student to and from school as defined in RCW 28A.160.160(3).

1 SB 6031 In addition, funding shall be provided for transportation services for students living within the walk area as determined under RCW 28A.160.160(5).

The allocation formula may be adjusted to include such additional differential factors as basic and special passenger counts as defined by the p.superintendent of public instruction, average distance to school, and number of locations served.

2p. ESSB 6031 superintendent of public instruction, average distance to school, and number of locations served.

2 SB 6031 (2) The allocation shall be based on a regression analysis of the number of basic and special students transported and as many other site characteristics that are identified as being statistically significant.

Students transported in district-owned passenger cars must be included in the corresponding basic or special passenger counts,counts , average distance to school, and number of locations served.

Sec.

4.

RCW 28A.160.195 and 2005 c 492 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The superintendent of public instruction, in consultation with the regional transportation coordinators of the educational service districts, shall establish a minimum number of ((school bus)) student transportation vehicle categories considering the capacity and type of vehicles required by school districts in Washington.

The superintendent, in consultation with the regional transportation coordinators of the educational service districts, shall establish competitive specifications for each category of ((school bus)) vehicle.

The categories shall be developed to produce minimum long- range operating costs, including costs of equipment and all costs in operating the vehicles.

The competitive specifications shall meet federal motor vehicle safety standards, minimum state specifications p.

3 ESSB 6031 as established by rule by the superintendent, and supported options as determined by the superintendent in consultation with the regional transportation coordinators of the educational service districts.

The superintendent may solicit and accept price quotes for a rear-engine category school bus that shall be reimbursed at the price of the corresponding front engine category.

(2) After establishing ((school bus)) vehicle categories and competitive specifications, the superintendent of public instruction shall solicit competitive price quotes for base ((buses)) vehicles from ((school bus)) dealers to be in effect for one year and shall establish a list of all accepted price quotes in each category obtained under this subsection.

The superintendent shall also solicit price quotes for optional features and equipment.

(3) The superintendent shall base the level of reimbursement to school districts and educational service districts for ((school buses)) vehicles on the lowest quote for the base ((bus)) vehicle in each category.

School districts and educational service districts shall be reimbursed for ((buses)) vehicles purchased only through a lowest-price competitive bid process conducted under RCW 28A.335.190 or through the state bid process established by this section.

(4) Notwithstanding RCW 28A.335.190, school districts and educational service districts may purchase at the quoted price directly from any dealer who is on the list established under subsection (2) of this section.

School districts and educational service districts may make their own selections for ((school buses)) vehicles, but shall be reimbursed at the rates determined under subsection (3) of this section and RCW 28A.160.200.

District-selected options shall not be reimbursed by the state.

(5) This section does not prohibit school districts or educational service districts from conducting their own competitive bid process.

(6) The superintendent of public instruction may adopt rules under chapter 34.05 RCW to implement this section.

(7) As used in this section, "student transportation vehicle" and "vehicle" mean a school bus or passenger van used in lieu of a school bus.

Sec.

5.

RCW 28A.160.210 and 2006 c 263 s 906 are each amended to read as follows:

p.

4 ESSB 6031 (1) In addition to other powers and duties, the superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules governing the training and qualifications of school bus drivers.

Such rules shall be designed to insure that persons will not be employed to operate school buses unless they possess such physical health and driving skills as are necessary to safely operate school buses:

PROVIDED, That such rules shall insure that school bus drivers are provided a due process hearing before any certification required by such rules is canceled:

PROVIDED FURTHER, That such rules shall not conflict with the authority of the department of licensing to license school bus drivers in accordance with chapter 46.25 RCW.

The superintendent of public instruction may obtain a copy of the driving record, as maintained by the department of licensing, for consideration when evaluating a school bus driver's driving skills.

(2) The rules adopted by the superintendent of public instruction governing the training and qualifications of school bus drivers must also apply to drivers transporting students in a Washington state patrol-inspected school vehicle other than a school bus.