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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to school bus safety; creating an offense. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter I, Chapter 545, Transportation Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 545.426 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 545.426. OPERATION OF SCHOOL BUS. (a) A person may |
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not operate a school bus if: |
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(1) the door of the school bus is open; or |
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(2) the number of passengers on the bus is greater than |
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the manufacturer's design capacity for the bus. |
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(b) An operator of a school bus, while operating the bus, |
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may prohibit a passenger from: |
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(1) standing in the bus; or |
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(2) sitting: |
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(A) on the floor of the bus; or |
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(B) in any location on the bus that is not |
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designed as a seat. |
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(c) The department may adopt rules necessary to administer |
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and enforce this section. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 34, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Section 34.0021 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 34.0021. SCHOOL BUS EMERGENCY EVACUATION TRAINING. |
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(a) Pursuant to the safety standards established by the Department |
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of Public Safety under Section 34.002, each school district shall |
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conduct a training session for students and teachers concerning |
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procedures for evacuating a school bus during an emergency. |
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(b) A school district shall conduct the school bus emergency |
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evacuation training at least twice each school year, with one |
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training session occurring in the fall and one training session |
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occurring in the spring. A training session must occur on a school |
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bus and last for at least one hour. |
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(c) The school bus emergency evacuation training must be |
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based on the recommendations of the most recent edition of the |
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National School Transportation Specifications and Procedures, as |
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adopted by the National Congress on School Transportation, or a |
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similar school transportation safety manual. |
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(d) Not later than the 30th day after the date that a school |
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district completes a training session, the district shall provide |
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the Department of Public Safety with a record certifying the |
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district's completion of the training. |
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(e) The Department of Public Safety may adopt rules |
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necessary to implement this section. |
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SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act by adding |
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Section 34.0021, Education Code, applies beginning with the |
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2007-2008 school year. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |