HF 3910

as introduced - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to pupil transportation; creating an Office of Pupil Transportation Safety;
prescribing staffing and duties; requiring report; appropriating money; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 169.435.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 169.435, is amended to read:

169.435 deleted text begin STATE SCHOOL BUS SAFETY ADMINISTRATION deleted text end new text begin OFFICE OF
PUPIL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY new text end .

Subdivision 1.

Responsibility; Department of Public Safety.

The Department of
Public Safety has the primary responsibility for school transportation safety. The new text begin Office of
Pupil Transportation Safety is created as a section under the Division of State Patrol. The
new text end commissioner deleted text begin or the commissioner's designee deleted text end shall deleted text begin serve as state deleted text end new text begin designate a new text end director of
pupil transportation deleted text begin according to subdivision 3 deleted text end .

Subd. 3.

Pupil transportation safety director.

deleted text begin (a) The commissioner of public
safety or the commissioner's designee shall serve as pupil transportation safety director.
deleted text end

deleted text begin (b) deleted text end The duties of the pupil transportation safety director deleted text begin shall deleted text end include:

(1) overseeing all department activities related to school bus safety;

(2) assisting in the development, interpretation, and implementation of laws and
policies relating to school bus safety;

(3) supervising preparation of the School Bus Inspection Manual; deleted text begin and
deleted text end

(4) in conjunction with the Department of Education, assisting school districts in
developing and implementing comprehensive transportation policies deleted text begin . deleted text end new text begin ;
new text end

new text begin (5) developing and maintaining a consistent record-keeping system to document
school bus inspections, out-of-service school transportation vehicles, and driver files; and
new text end

new text begin (6) conducting periodic audits of selected school districts to determine compliance
with statutory requirements concerning: (i) school bus driver employee background and
license checks; and (ii) duty to report violations to the commissioner of public safety.
Audit results must be documented and retained by the Office of Pupil Transportation
Safety, and any statutory violations documented in the audit must be reported to the
commissioners of public safety and education.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Staff. new text end

new text begin In addition to the pupil transportation safety director, who must be a
state trooper, the Office of Pupil Transportation Safety must be staffed by a minimum of:
new text end

new text begin (1) three state troopers, each of whom must be assigned to the metropolitan area,
northern Minnesota, or southern Minnesota; and
new text end

new text begin (2) 15 school bus vehicle inspectors, one of whom must be designated chief
inspector. The school bus vehicle inspectors shall perform annual and spot inspections
of school buses and Head Start buses as required by law.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin REPORT.
new text end

new text begin By January 15, 2009, the commissioner and the director of pupil transportation
safety must report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the senate and house
of representatives committees with jurisdiction over transportation and education policy
and finance concerning the Office of Pupil Transportation Safety, including adequacy of
funding, staffing levels, available technology to carry out the requirements of section 1,
and any recommended legislation to improve the ability of the pupil transportation safety
director to perform statutory duties.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin $....... is appropriated from the trunk highway fund to the commissioner of public
safety in fiscal year 2009 to implement and operate the Office of Pupil Transportation
Safety.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end