BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center                                                                                                 C.S.S.B. 635

81R16984 JRJ-D                                                                                          By: Seliger, Wentworth

                                                                                                 Transportation & Homeland Security

                                                                                                                                            3/18/2009

                                                                                                        Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Current state law mandates that two school bus emergency evacuation training sessions be held each academic year.  The current law also mandates that a portion of the training occur on a school bus and last for at least one hour.  These requirements place an undue burden on many school districts.  The mandates require students to lose at least one hour of class time twice each academic year and impose unnecessary costs on school districts.

 

C.S.S.B. 635 changes the school bus emergency evacuation training requirement to one training session per year, and authorizes the training session to be conducted via video.  The bill also authorizes a video used for training to be produced by students.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 34.0021(b), Education Code, to require a school district to conduct the school bus emergency evacuation training at least once, rather than twice, each school year.  Authorizes the training to be conducted through use of video.  Authorizes a video used for training under this subsection to be produced by students.  Deletes existing text relating to training session requirements.

 

SECTION 2.  Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2009-2010 school year.

 

SECTION 3.  Effective date:  upon passage or September 1, 2009.