COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
H. B. 3040
(By Mr. Speaker, Mr. Kiss and Delegate Trump)
{By Request of the Executive}
(Originating in the Committee on Finance)
[March 24, 2005]
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia,1931, as amended, by
adding thereto a new section, designated §18-3-12, relating to
requiring that a study be done to establish standards for the
length of student bus transportation times to and from school
and a potential waiver program.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Code of West Virginia,1931, as amended, be amended by
adding thereto a new section designated §18-3-12, to read as
follows:
ARTICLE 3. STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
§18-3-12. Standards for the length of student bus transportation
times to and from school.
The Legislature finds that:
(1) That the length of school bus transportation times for
students has increased due to the closure and consolidation of
schools;
(2) That, with facility infrastructure as it is, the length of
school bus transportation times is subject to variation from year
to year because of the residential location decisions of families of school age children within the attendance areas of the schools;
(3) That the closure and consolidation of schools and the
associated changes in transportation times for students have been
difficult adjustments of the school facility infrastructure and has
created budgetary problems for county school boards; and
(4) That these same changes and the drop in enrollment have
placed additional burden on the school infrastructure.
The Superintendent of schools in collaboration with all county
boards of education are directed to conduct a study of all available
means to develop a viable, modified plan to provide transportation
in the most efficient manner with the least amount of time possible
for children to be traveling. Further the Superintendent is directed
to study viable modified plans to deal with the decreased enrollment
in the schools and the burden to school facility infrastructure.
The Superintendent in collaboration with all county boards of
education is further directed to study total program costs related
to the implementation of a viable modified plan and its impact on
the education budget.
The Superintendent is directed to report his or her findings
and recommendations to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance
at its monthly meeting in December of 2005.