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Regular Session, 2014
HOUSE BILL NO. 600
BY REPRESENTATIVE ABRAMSON
SCHOOLS/TRANSPORTATI ON: Prohibits school bus drivers in certain parishes from
picking up or dropping off children at school while the bus is in a lane of traffic
AN ACT1
To enact R.S. 17:158(J) and 3996(B)(34), relative to the loading and unloading of school2
busses at schools in certain parishes; to provide relative to adoption of policies and3
procedures by school governing authorities regarding such loading and unloading;4
and to provide for related matters.5
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:6
Section 1. R.S. 17:158(J) and 3996(B)(34) are hereby enacted to read as follows:7
§158. School buses for transportation of students; employment of bus operators;8
alternative means of transportation; improvement of school bus turnarounds9
* * *10
J.(1) The governing authority of each public school in a parish that contains11
a municipality with a population of three hundred thousand or more persons12
according to the latest federal decennial census shall adopt policies and procedures13
to prohibit a school bus driver from loading or unloading students at the school while14
the bus is in a traffic lane and to require that such loading and unloading be done on15
the shoulder of the road, in a school parking lot, or other appropriate off-road16
location at the school as determined by the governing authority.17
(2) The prohibition in Paragraph (1) of this Subsection shall not apply if the18
shoulder of a municipal road is the only available alternative and the municipality19 HLS 14RS-160 ENGROSSED
HB NO. 600
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has not made the shoulder available by designating that area for loading and1
unloading students during designated school zone hours.2
* * *3
§3996. Charter schools; exemptions; requirements4
* * *5
B. Notwithstanding any state law, rule, or regulation to the contrary and6
except as may be otherwise specifically provided for in an approved charter, a7
charter school established and operated in accordance with the provisions of this8
Chapter and its approved charter and the school's officers and employees shall be9
exempt from all statutory mandates or other statutory requirements that are10
applicable to public schools and to public school officers and employees except for11
the following laws otherwise applicable to public schools with the same grades:12
* * *13
(34) School bus loading and unloading provisions, R.S. 17:158(J).14
* * *15
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Abramson HB No. 600
Abstract: Requires certain public school governing authorities and charter schools to adopt
policies prohibiting school bus drivers from loading and unloading students while
a bus is in a traffic lane except under certain circumstances.
Present law (R.S. 17:158) requires public school boards to provide a student free
transportation to and from school if the student lives within the board's jurisdiction and more
than one mile from the school. Further authorizes a school board to provide free
transportation to students who live within one mile of the school, if the board determines that
conditions warrant such free transportation. Present law further restricts the ability of the
school board to eliminate or reduce such free transportation services. Proposed law retains
present law.
Proposed law requires the governing authority of each public school, including charter
schools, in any parish with a municipality having a population of 300,000 or more persons
to adopt policies to prohibit the loading or unloading of students from a school bus at a
school while the bus is in a traffic lane and to provide for such loading and unloading on the
shoulder of the road, in a school parking lot, or other appropriate off-road location. Provides
that such prohibition shall not apply when the shoulder of a municipal road is the only HLS 14RS-160 ENGROSSED
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available alternative and the municipality has not made the shoulder available by designating
that area for loading and unloading students during designated school zone hours.
(Adds R.S. 17:158(J) and 3996(B)(34))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Education to the original
bill.
1. Provides that the proposed law prohibition does not apply if the shoulder of a
municipal road is the only available alternative and the municipality has not
made it available for loading and unloading students during designated school
zone hours.