By Williams                                           H.B. No. 2043
         77R4837 MTB-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to school bus or motor bus safety standards.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1. Section 34.002, Education Code, is amended by
 1-5     adding Subsections (d) and (e) to read as follows:
 1-6           (d)  Except as provided by Subsection (e), a school bus or
 1-7     motor bus used to transport pre-primary, primary, or secondary
 1-8     students to and from school or in connection with school activities
 1-9     other than on routes to and from school must meet federal school
1-10     bus safety standards as contained in 49 U.S.C. Section 30101 et
1-11     seq., as amended.
1-12           (e)  Subsection (d) applies only to a school bus or motor bus
1-13     purchased, leased, or chartered or for bus services contracted for
1-14     on or after September 1, 2001.  A school bus or motor bus in use on
1-15     September 1, 2001, that does not meet the requirements of
1-16     Subsection (d) may continue in use until the earlier of:
1-17                 (1)  September 1, 2006; or
1-18                 (2)  the end of the contract's term.
1-19           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.