| 1 | 1 | | 84R12199 TSR-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 1405 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to idling the diesel engine of a school bus or commercial |
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| 8 | 8 | | charter bus while the bus is parked at a public school, school |
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| 9 | 9 | | event, or field trip destination. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 34, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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| 12 | 12 | | Section 34.0041 to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 34.0041. IDLING BUS DIESEL ENGINE AT SCHOOL OR SCHOOL |
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| 14 | 14 | | EVENT PROHIBITED. (a) In this section, "idling" means allowing an |
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| 15 | 15 | | engine to run while the motor vehicle is not engaged in forward or |
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| 16 | 16 | | reverse motion. |
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| 17 | 17 | | (b) Except as provided by Subsection (c): |
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| 18 | 18 | | (1) the driver of a school bus equipped with a diesel |
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| 19 | 19 | | engine may not allow the idling of the bus engine while the bus is |
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| 20 | 20 | | parked at a school, school event, or field trip destination; and |
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| 21 | 21 | | (2) the driver of a commercial charter bus equipped |
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| 22 | 22 | | with a diesel engine that is used to transport school students on a |
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| 23 | 23 | | field trip may not allow the idling of the bus engine while the bus |
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| 24 | 24 | | is parked at the school or the field trip destination. |
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| 25 | 25 | | (c) Subsection (b) does not prohibit the idling of a school |
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| 26 | 26 | | bus or commercial charter bus diesel engine: |
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| 27 | 27 | | (1) for the time necessary to heat or cool the bus |
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| 28 | 28 | | before departure, provided that the engine is turned off when a |
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| 29 | 29 | | student is embarking or disembarking; or |
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| 30 | 30 | | (2) as necessary to accommodate the physical needs of |
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| 31 | 31 | | a student who receives special education services, regardless of |
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| 32 | 32 | | whether students are embarking or disembarking. |
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| 33 | 33 | | SECTION 2. Section 34.0041, Education Code, as added by |
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| 34 | 34 | | this Act, applies beginning with the 2015-2016 school year. |
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| 35 | 35 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 36 | 36 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 37 | 37 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 38 | 38 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 39 | 39 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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