Relating to school buses; allowing school districts to provide bus transportation along varying bus routes for early childhood family education (ECFE) participants; modifying student rider bus safety training requirements; allowing districts contracting for transportation an exemption from the standard cost allocation method for authorized and nonauthorized transportation categories under certain conditions; including multifunction school activity buses in the school bus definition and modifying types A and C school bus definitions, requiring multifunctional activity buses to meet federal safety standards; prohibiting drivers from operating buses while communicating on cellular (cell) phones; modifying the bus driver seat belt requirement; making conforming amendments; updating the applicable date for bus standards; modifying battery requirements, body standards, seat cushion requirements, class D drivers license endorsements and bus signage requirements; allowing certain exceptions to class D licensure, nonpublic schools and private contractors to use driver alternative assessments and drivers to receive training in lieu of an assessment; requiring the commissioner of public safety to revise certain department rules; repealing school bus oil filtration system, mirrors, overall width and crossing control arm provisions
(rt)