ENROLLED
ACT No. 421
2015 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 695
BY REPRESENTATIVE ABRAMSON
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 17:158(J)(2) and (3), relative to loading and unloading of school
3 buses; to provide relative to restrictions on the location of loading and unloading
4 students; and to provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 17:158(J)(2) and (3) are hereby amended and reenacted to read as
7 follows:
8 ยง158. School buses for transportation of students; employment of bus operators;
9 alternative means of transportation; improvement of school bus turnarounds;
10 loading and unloading students
11 * * *
12 J. The governing authority of each public school shall adopt policies and
13 procedures or shall make provision in its bus transportation service agreement to do
14 all of the following:
15 * * *
16 (2) Prohibit a bus driver from loading or unloading students at or near their
17 homes while the bus is in a traffic lane of any type of street as defined in R.S. 32:1
18 and require that students be loaded or unloaded on a shoulder unless the governing
19 authority determines that loading or unloading on a shoulder is less safe for the
20 student. However, if there is no shoulder or if the shoulder is determined to be less
21 safe, a bus driver may load and unload a student while the bus is in a lane of traffic
22 but only if the bus is in the lane farthest to the right side of the road so that the
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HB NO. 695 ENROLLED
1 student does not need to cross any lane of traffic to get onto or off of the bus there
2 is not a lane of traffic between the bus and the right-side curb or other edge of the
3 road.
4 (3) Prohibit a bus driver from loading or unloading students a student, either
5 at school or at or near their homes in a manner or in a location that results in students
6 crossing lanes of traffic on a state highway or any other type of street. in a location
7 on a divided highway such that a student, in order to walk between the bus and his
8 home or school, would be required to cross a roadway of the highway on which
9 traffic is not controlled by the visual signals on the school bus.
10 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
11 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
12 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
13 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
14 effective on the day following such approval.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.