SLS 22RS-187 ENGROSSED
2022 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 57
BY SENATOR MCMATH
BUS DRIVERS. Provides relative to the compensation of school bus operators. (gov sig)
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 17:497, relative to the compensation of school bus operators who
3 transport public school students; to provide changes to the method by which
4 compensation is calculated; to require compensation for certain purchases made by
5 school bus operators; to provide for an effective date; and to provide for related
6 matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 17:497 is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
9 ยง497. School bus operators; operational schedules compensation
10 A.(1) Beginning with the fall term of 1986, and continuing thereafter, there
11 There shall be paid to the operators thereof, as defined herein in this Section, for the
12 operation of each school bus operated in the public school system of the state of
13 Louisiana, a rate of compensation for such operation in accordance with the
14 following schedule:
15 Beginning Fall Term, 1986 and thereafter
16 (All figures are on a cents per mile basis.)
17 First 6 Next 6 Over 12
Page 1 of 6
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 57
SLS 22RS-187 ENGROSSED
1 Miles Miles Miles
2 Length of bus 0-6.0 6.1-12.0 12.0 Plus
3 39 feet or more 117.80 107.08 80.29
4 38 feet or more,
5 but less than 39 feet 112.44 101.72 80.29
6 34 feet or more,
7 but less than 38 feet 107.08 96.36 80.29
8 28 feet or more,
9 but less than 34 feet 101.72 91.01 74.94
10 26 feet or more,
11 but less than 28 feet 96.36 85.66 74.94
12 23 feet or more,
13 but less than 26 feet 91.01 80.30 74.94
14 21 feet or more,
15 but less than 23 feet 85.66 74.94 69.59
16 19 feet or more,
17 but less than 21 feet 80.30 69.59 64.25
18 17 feet or more,
19 but less than 19 feet 80.30 64.25 58.89
20 14 feet or more,
21 but less than 17 feet 53.54 48.17 37.47
22 Less than 14 feet
23 buses, station wagons,
24 and carryalls 53.54 48.17 37.47
25 (a) For buses with a manufacturer's rated capacity of forty-eight
26 passengers or fewer, the minimum operational pay rate is $1.4683 per mile of
27 paid mileage.
28 (b) For buses with a manufacturer's rated capacity of greater than forty-
29 eight passengers, the minimum operational pay rate is $1.756 per mile of paid
Page 2 of 6
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 57
SLS 22RS-187 ENGROSSED
1 mileage.
2 (2) For buses equipped with lift mechanisms and mobility device
3 securement systems, the manufacturer's rated capacity shall be determined by
4 the rated capacity of a bus of equal length that is designed to transport only
5 ambulatory passengers.
6 (2) (3)(a) The compensation, as computed in accordance with the schedule
7 contained in this Section, shall be paid for a minimum of the number of days of
8 actual operation, but not less than one hundred eighty days, during the nine-month
9 official school year adopted by the public school governing authority, and for the
10 number of days of actual operation for any the summer semester, if applicable.
11 (b) Each public school governing authority shall establish supplemental
12 payments for individual operators who are required by the governing authority
13 to purchase any of the following equipment:
14 (i) Lift mechanisms, wheelchair or other mobility device securement
15 systems, occupant restraints, cleaning supplies, or other equipment required
16 exclusively for transporting students with disabilities.
17 (ii) Air-conditioning equipment.
18 (3) The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education by rule shall
19 establish the method to be used for computing bus length for purposes of this
20 Section. The method established by the board shall be uniformly applicable to each
21 city and parish school system and such method shall be used by a city or parish
22 school board to the exclusion of all others.
23 B. The term "operator" as used in this Section shall mean any individual,
24 parish, or city school board or public school governing authority who owns and
25 is responsible for the operation, maintenance, and replacement of a school bus
26 operated in the public schools of the state, including state universities, colleges, and
27 junior colleges.
28 C. The term "mileage one-way" "paid mileage" as used in this Section shall
29 mean the distance the bus travels after picking up its first child and student until it
Page 3 of 6
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 57
SLS 22RS-187 ENGROSSED
1 reaches the final student discharge destination or school of said route or routes each
2 morning and afternoon route officially designated by each school board the public
3 school governing authority.
4 D.(1) Each school board public school governing authority shall designate
5 the size of the bus to be used on each official regular school bus route. When an
6 operator deems it necessary to purchase a bus, either new or used for not more than
7 five years from the date of manufacture, of the designated size to be used on an
8 official regular school bus route, he shall obtain the approval for the purchase by the
9 school board public school governing authority or its duly designated officer or
10 agent. After purchasing a new or used bus not more than five years old, so an
11 approved bus, no operator shall be penalized as a result of the change by the school
12 board public school governing authority in the designated size of the bus or the
13 length of the route within a five-year seven-year period. following such purchase of
14 a bus. However, the period shall be seven years for those operators who purchase a
15 new bus after July 1, 1985.
16 (2) No city or parish school board public school governing authority shall
17 approve the purchase by an operator of a used bus when the sole purpose of such
18 purchase is to extend the protected period against penalty provided for in this
19 Subsection.
20 (3) The distribution of state funds for school transportation to the city and
21 parish school boards public school governing authority shall include any costs
22 incurred by school boards the public school governing authority in complying with
23 these provisions.
24 E. Beginning with the first pay period commencing on or after January 1,
25 1965, any parish or city school system public school governing authority exempt
26 from the provisions of R.S. 17:496 shall participate in this Section in the same
27 manner as other parish and city school systems public school governing
28 authorities.
29 F.(1) When funds become available, and continuing thereafter, there shall be
Page 4 of 6
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 57
SLS 22RS-187 ENGROSSED
1 paid to the operators thereof, as defined herein, for the operation of each school bus
2 operated in the public school system of the state of Louisiana, a rate of compensation
3 for such operation in accordance with the following schedule:
4 Beginning Fall Term, 1986 and Thereafter
5 Length of bus Cents per mile
6 39 feet or more 117.80
7 38 feet or more, but less than 39 feet 112.44
8 34 feet or more, but less than 38 feet 107.08
9 28 feet or more, but less than 34 feet 101.72
10 26 feet or more, but less than 28 feet 96.36
11 23 feet or more, but less than 26 feet 91.01
12 21 feet or more, but less than 23 feet 85.66
13 19 feet or more, but less than 21 feet 80.30
14 17 feet or more, but less than 19 feet 80.30
15 14 feet or more, but less than 17 feet 53.54
16 Less than 14 feet buses, station wagons, and carryalls 53.54
17 (2) The compensation, as computed in accordance with the schedules
18 contained in this Section, shall be paid for a minimum of one hundred eighty days
19 during the nine-month school year, and for the number of days of actual operation
20 for any summer semester. However, until funds become available, payment shall be
21 made as provided in Subsection A of this Section.
22 Section 2. Implementation of this Act shall begin with the 2022-2023 school year.
23 Section 3. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
24 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
25 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
26 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
27 effective on the day following such approval.
Page 5 of 6
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 57
SLS 22RS-187 ENGROSSED
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Cheryl Serrett.
DIGEST
SB 57 Engrossed 2022 Regular Session McMath
Present law provides a schedule of compensation rates to be paid to school bus operators for
the transportation of public school students. Provides for varying rates based on distance
traveled and length of bus. Specifies that the compensation shall be paid for a minimum of
180 days during a nine-month school year and for the number of days of actual operation of
a summer semester.
Proposed law changes the operational pay rate to a minimum of $1.4683 per mile of paid
mileage for school buses with capacities of 48 or fewer passengers and a minimum of $1.756
per mile of paid mileage for school buses with capacities greater than 48 passengers.
Proposed law provides that, for buses equipped with lift mechanisms and mobility device
securement systems, the manufacturer's rated capacity shall be determined by the rated
capacity of a bus of equal length that is designed to transport only ambulatory passengers.
Proposed law clarifies operators shall be paid for the number of days of actual operation but
not less than 180 days during the school year calendar, as adopted by the public school
governing authority, and the number of days of actual operation during a summer semester.
Present law provides the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) shall
establish a uniform method for computing bus length.
Proposed law deletes the provisions relative to BESE.
Proposed law defines "paid mileage" as the distance of a bus route beginning when the first
student is picked up and ending when the bus reaches the final student discharge destination
or school on both morning and afternoon routes.
Proposed law requires a public school governing authority to establish supplemental
payments for a school bus operator who is required to purchase certain equipment or
supplies related to transporting students with disabilities or air conditioning equipment.
Proposed law requires the new compensation rates to be implemented beginning with the
2022-2023 school year.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 17:497)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Education to the
original bill
1. Makes technical changes.
Page 6 of 6
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.