RÉSUMÉ DIGEST
ACT 421 (HB 695) 2015 Regular Session Abramson
Existing law requires the governing authority of each public school, including charter
schools, to adopt policies or to make provision in bus transportation service agreements
relative to the loading/unloading of students.
(1)At school: Existing law prohibits loading/unloading students while the bus is in a
traffic lane of a street unless the shoulder of a municipal road is the only available
alternative and the municipality has not designated that shoulder for
loading/unloading students during school zone hours.
(2)At or near home: Existing law requires loading/unloading students on a shoulder
unless there is no shoulder. New law provides as an exception to existing law that
using the shoulder is not required if it is less safe for the student. Existing law
requires that the bus be in the lane farthest to the right side of the road if the
loading/unloading must occur in a lane of traffic.
(3)At school or at or near home: Prior law prohibited loading/unloading students in a
manner or in a location that resulted in students crossing lanes of traffic on a state
highway or any other type of street. New law instead prohibits loading/unloading in
a location on a divided highway such that a student would be required to cross a
roadway of the highway on which traffic is not controlled by the visual signals on the
school bus.
Effective upon signature of governor (July 1, 2015).
(Amends R.S. 17:158(J)(2) and (3))