SLS 16RS-2346 ORIGINAL 2016 Regular Session SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 122 BY SENATOR CARTER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. Requests the Department of Education to establish a task force to study student transportation and school bus passenger safety. 1 A RESOLUTION 2 To urge and request the state Department of Education to establish a task force to study and 3 make recommendations regarding student transportation and school bus passenger 4 safety. 5 WHEREAS, thousands of Louisiana public and private school students ride a bus 6 every school day; and 7 WHEREAS, it is of utmost importance that these students be transported to and from 8 school in the safest manner available; and 9 WHEREAS, technology impacting school bus passenger safety is constantly 10 changing and improving; and 11 WHEREAS, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) 12 continually conducts investigations and studies on school transportation safety and has 13 recently begun to conduct a comprehensive review of its school transportation safety 14 recommendations; and 15 WHEREAS, NHSTA updated its policies in 2015 to recommend "that every child 16 on every school bus should have a three-point seat belt"; and 17 WHEREAS, a thorough review of student transportation and school bus passenger 18 safety should be conducted in light of the NHSTA recommendations and with full Page 1 of 3 SR NO. 122 SLS 16RS-2346 ORIGINAL 1 knowledge of Louisiana data, policies, and laws. 2 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana 3 does hereby urge and request the state Department of Education to establish a task force to 4 study and make recommendations regarding student transportation and school bus passenger 5 safety. 6 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall be comprised as follows: 7 (1) Two members appointed by the state superintendent of education. 8 (2) Three members appointed by the Louisiana Association of School Transportation 9 Officials. 10 (3) Two members appointed by the Louisiana School Bus Operators Association. 11 (4) One member appointed by the Louisiana School Boards Association. 12 (5) One member appointed by the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents. 13 (6) One member appointed by the Louisiana Parent Teacher Association. 14 (7) One member appointed by the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission. 15 (8) One member appointed by the secretary of the Department of Public Safety and 16 Corrections. 17 (9) One member appointed by the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools. 18 (10) One member appointed by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education 19 from the membership of the board's Nonpublic School Council. 20 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National School Transportation Association 21 shall be requested to appoint a member to represent private student transportation service 22 providers. 23 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the American School Bus Council shall be 24 requested to appoint a member to represent school bus manufacturers. 25 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that members shall serve without compensation other 26 than what the appointing organization or agency may provide. 27 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall submit a written report of 28 its findings and recommendations to the Senate and House committees on education not later 29 than January 31, 2017. 30 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the Page 2 of 3 SR NO. 122 SLS 16RS-2346 ORIGINAL 1 state superintendent of education. The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Cheryl Serrett. DIGEST SR 122 Original 2016 Regular Session Carter Requests the Department of Education to establish a task force to study student transportation and school bus passenger safety comprised of the following: (1)Two members appointed by the state superintendent of education. (2)Three members appointed by the Louisiana Association of School Transportation Officials. (3)Two members appointed by the Louisiana School Bus Operators Association. (4)One member appointed by the Louisiana School Boards Association. (5)One member appointed by the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents. (6)One member appointed by the Louisiana Parent Teacher Association. (7)One member appointed by the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission. (8)One member appointed by the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections. (9)One member appointed by the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools. (10)One member appointed by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education from the membership of the board's Nonpublic School Council. Provides that the National School Transportation Association and the American School Bus Council be requested to each appoint one member. Provides that members shall serve without compensation other than what the organization or agency making the appointment may provide. Provides that the task force shall submit a written report of its findings and recommendations to the Senate and House committees on education by January 31, 2017. Page 3 of 3