BILL NUMBER: SB 315AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2009 INTRODUCED BY Senator Liu FEBRUARY 25, 2009 An act to add Article 1.5 (commencing with Section 49310) to Chapter 8 of Part 27 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code, relating to pupil safety. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 315, as amended, Liu. Pupil safety: walking schoolbus. Existing law makes each school district and county office of education responsible for the overall development of all comprehensive school safety plans for its schools operating kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive. Existing law requires that a comprehensive school safety plan include specified elements, including, but not limited to, development of procedures for safe ingress and egress of pupils, parents, and school employees to and from school. This bill would authorize the governing board of any school district to establish and maintain a walking schoolbus, defined as a group of pupils walking to or from school with one or more supervising adults, for the purpose of ensuring the safe passage of pupils to and from school. This bill would provide that all persons participating in a walking schoolbus are deemed to have waived all claims against the district or the State of California for injury, accident, illness, or death occurring by reason of their participation. It would also require all adults participating, and the parents or guardians of participating pupils, to sign a statement consenting to participation and waiving all claims. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Article 1.5 (commencing with Section 49310) is added to Chapter 8 of Part 27 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code, to read: Article 1.5. Walking Schoolbus 49310. (a) For purposes of this chapter, a "walking schoolbus" means a group of pupils walking to or from school with one or more supervising adults. For purposes of this section, "adults" include parents, guardians, or teachers of a pupil who is participating in the walking schoolbus. (b) The governing board of any school district may establish and maintain a walking schoolbus in any of the schools of the district for the purpose of ensuring the safe passage of pupils to and from school. (c) All persons participating in a walking schoolbus shall be deemed to have waived all claims against the district or the State of California for injury, accident, illness, or death occurring during or by reason of participating in a walking schoolbus. All adults participating in a walking schoolbus, and all parents or guardians of pupils participating in a walking schoolbus, shall sign a statement consenting to participation and waiving all claims.