S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    233
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 8, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. EACHUS, COLTON, BUTTENSCHON, DeSTEFANO, JENSEN,
   SAYEGH, SANTABARBARA, LEMONDES, McDONOUGH, TAYLOR, GIBBS -- read  once
   and referred to the Committee on Education
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend the education law, in relation to establishing a task
   force on safety in school transportation; and providing for the repeal
   of such provisions upon expiration thereof
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The education law is amended by adding a new section 3639
 to read as follows:
   § 3639. TASK FORCE ON SAFETY IN SCHOOL  TRANSPORTATION.  1.  THERE  IS
 HEREBY  CREATED A TASK FORCE ON SAFETY IN SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION WITH THE
 PURPOSE OF REVIEWING AND PROMOTING SAFETY IN SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION.
   2. THE TASK FORCE SHALL  CONSIST  OF  EIGHTEEN  MEMBERS  APPOINTED  AS
 FOLLOWS:  FIVE MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR, FIVE MEMBERS APPOINTED
 BY THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, AND FIVE MEMBERS APPOINTED  BY
 THE  SPEAKER  OF  THE  ASSEMBLY.  THE  TASK FORCE SHALL ALSO INCLUDE THE
 COMMISSIONER OR THE COMMISSIONER'S DESIGNEE; THE COMMISSIONER OF  TRANS-
 PORTATION  OR  THE  COMMISSIONER'S DESIGNEE; AND THE COMMISSIONER OF THE
 DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR  VEHICLES  OR  THE  COMMISSIONER'S  DESIGNEE.    THE
 MEMBERS  APPOINTED  TO  THE TASK FORCE SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED
 TO:  EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS; PARENTS;  TEACHERS;  ADMINIS-
 TRATORS;  AND  SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS AND OTHER SCHOOL BUS PERSONNEL WHO ARE
 MEMBERS OF A LABOR UNION.
   3. IT SHALL BE THE DUTY OF THE TASK FORCE TO STUDY AND ISSUE RECOMMEN-
 DATIONS RELATED TO STUDENT SAFETY IN  SCHOOL  TRANSPORTATION.  THE  TASK
 FORCE SHALL REVIEW AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON:
   A.  EXISTING STATE LAWS, REGULATIONS, AND PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS SCHOOL
 BUS SAFETY, AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR  THEIR  IMPROVEMENT,  INCLUDING
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD01409-01-5
              

 A. 233                              2
 
 ANY RECOMMENDATIONS NECESSARY TO ENSURE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AND THE SAFETY
 OF STUDENTS;
   B. EXAMINING THE POSSIBILITY OF REQUIRING A STATE DEPARTMENT OR OFFICE
 TO  CONDUCT A BIANNUAL REVIEW OF ALL ASPECTS OF SCHOOL BUS SAFETY AND TO
 ISSUE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ADDITIONAL ACTION OR OVERSIGHT,  AS  APPROPRI-
 ATE;
   C. DEVELOPING A PLAN TO PHASE IN ANY SCHOOL BUS SAFETY MEASURES RECOM-
 MENDED  BY  THE  TASK FORCE THROUGH RETROFITTING AND PROSPECTIVE VEHICLE
 PURCHASES, AND IDENTIFY THE  POTENTIAL  APPLICATION  OF  VEHICLE  SENSOR
 TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE SCHOOL BUS SAFETY;
   D. IDENTIFYING BEST PRACTICES FOR THE DESIGNATION OF SCHOOL BUS STOPS;
   E.  THE  CURRENT SAFETY STATUS OF STUDENTS WHO WALK TO AND FROM SCHOOL
 AND  IDENTIFY  STRATEGIES  THAT  SUPPORT  SAFE  PEDESTRIAN  BEHAVIOR  BY
 STUDENTS  BETWEEN THEIR HOMES AND SCHOOLS, INCLUDING AS THEY WALK TO AND
 FROM BUS STOPS AND BOARD AND EXIT BUSES;
   F. IDENTIFYING SAFETY PROTOCOLS TO BE FOLLOWED BY SCHOOL  BUS  DRIVERS
 AND  SCHOOL BUS AIDES, INCLUDING SAFEGUARDS TO ENSURE THAT PROTOCOLS ARE
 FOLLOWED WHEN A SUBSTITUTE DRIVER OR SCHOOL BUS AIDE IS  ASSIGNED  TO  A
 SCHOOL BUS;
   G. DEVELOPING RECOMMENDATIONS TO CURB ILLEGAL PASSING OF SCHOOL BUSES;
 AND
   H.  DETERMINING  IF  THERE  IS  A NEED FOR ADDITIONAL PUBLIC EDUCATION
 PROGRAMS THAT PROMOTE SCHOOL BUS SAFETY.
   4.  VACANCIES IN THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE TASK FORCE SHALL BE  FILLED  IN
 THE  SAME  MANNER AS THE ORIGINAL APPOINTMENTS WERE MADE. THE MEMBERS OF
 THE TASK FORCE SHALL SERVE WITHOUT COMPENSATION BUT  MAY  BE  REIMBURSED
 FOR NECESSARY EXPENSES INCURRED IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES.
   5.  THE  TASK  FORCE  SHALL  ORGANIZE AS SOON AS IS PRACTICAL UPON THE
 APPOINTMENT OF A MAJORITY OF ITS MEMBERS.  THE CHAIR OF THE  TASK  FORCE
 SHALL BE DESIGNATED BY A SIMPLE MAJORITY VOTE OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE TASK
 FORCE.
   6.  THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROVIDE STAFF AND RELATED SUPPORT SERVICES TO
 THE TASK FORCE. THE TASK FORCE SHALL ALSO BE ENTITLED TO CALL  UPON  THE
 SERVICES  OF  ANY STATE, COUNTY, OR MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENT, BOARD, COMMIS-
 SION OR AGENCY, AS MAY BE AVAILABLE TO IT FOR  THESE  PURPOSES,  AND  TO
 INCUR  SUCH  TRAVELING  AND  OTHER MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES AS IT MAY DEEM
 NECESSARY FOR THE PROPER EXECUTION OF ITS DUTIES AND AS  MAY  BE  WITHIN
 THE  LIMIT  OF  FUNDS APPROPRIATED OR OTHERWISE MADE AVAILABLE TO IT FOR
 THESE PURPOSES. THE TASK FORCE MAY MEET AND HOLD HEARINGS AT SUCH PLACES
 AS IT SHALL DESIGNATE.
   7.  THE TASK FORCE SHALL CREATE A FINAL REPORT REGARDING ALL  FINDINGS
 AND  RECOMMENDATIONS TO BE DELIVERED NO LATER THAN EIGHTEEN MONTHS AFTER
 THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION, TO THE GOVERNOR, THE TEMPORARY PRES-
 IDENT OF THE SENATE, THE SPEAKER OF  THE  ASSEMBLY,  THE  CHAIR  OF  THE
 SENATE  EDUCATION COMMITTEE, THE CHAIR OF THE ASSEMBLY EDUCATION COMMIT-
 TEE, THE CHAIR OF THE SENATE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE AND THE  CHAIR  OF
 THE ASSEMBLY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE.
   §  2.  This  act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
 deemed repealed twenty-four months after it shall have become a law.