84R2429 KJE-F
By: Longoria H.B. No. 343
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the transportation of public school students in certain
vehicles.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 34.003(a), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) School buses or mass transit authority motor buses shall
be used for the transportation of students to and from schools on
routes having 10 or more students. On those routes having fewer
than 10 students, passenger cars or passenger vans may be used for
the transportation of students to and from school.
SECTION 2. Section 521.022(h), Transportation Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(h) This section does not apply to the operation of:
(1) a vehicle owned by a public institution of higher
education to transport students of a school district that operates
within that institution if:
(A) [(1)] the person operating the vehicle is
approved by the institution to operate the vehicle; and
(B) [(2)] the transportation is for a special
event, including a field trip; or
(2) a multifunction school activity bus, as defined by
Section 541.201, owned by a school district to transport students
of the district if:
(A) the bus is designed to accommodate 15 or
fewer passengers, including the operator;
(B) the person operating the bus is approved by
the district to operate the bus; and
(C) the transportation is for a school-related
activity trip other than routes to and from school.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2015.