BILL ANALYSIS
By: Eltife
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Currently, a county or school district board is authorized to allow a parent to designate a child-care facility or a grandparent's residence as one of the regular locations for transportation to and from the child's school, if the location is on an approved route. However, some school districts have chosen not to honor a parent's request to have a child access transportation at a grandparent's home or child-care facility.
This bill requires a county or school district to allow a parent to designate a grandparent's residence or child-care facility for the purpose of accessing transportation to and from the child's school if the location is on an approved route.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
This bill relates to the authority of a parent to designate a child-care facility or grandparent's residence for purposes of transportation provided by a public school transportation system.
The bill amends Subsection (b), Section 34.007, Education Code, to provide that, in establishing and operating the transportation system, the county or school district board shall: employ school bus drivers certified in accordance with standards and qualifications adopted by the Department of Public Safety; and on determining eligibility for transportation services, allow a parent to designate one of the following locations instead of the child's residence as the regular location for purposes of obtaining transportation under the system to and from the child's school, if the location is an approved stop on an approved route:
The bill provides that the Act applies beginning with the 2007-2008 school year.
EFFECTIVE DATE
Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2007.