BILL NUMBER: SB 497	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Vidak

                        FEBRUARY 26, 2015

   An act to add Section 41857 to the Education Code, relating to
pupil transportation.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 497, as introduced, Vidak. Pupil transportation: data.
   Existing law authorizes the governing board of any school district
to provide for the transportation of pupils to and from school
whenever, in the judgment of the governing board of the school
district, the transportation is advisable and good reasons for it
exist. Existing law further authorizes the governing board of any
school district to contract with the county superintendent of schools
to provide necessary transportation services.
   This bill would, commencing with data for the 2014-15 fiscal year,
and each fiscal year thereafter, require the State Department of
Education to collect specified pupil transportation data from each
school district, charter school, county office of education, joint
powers authority, and regional occupational center or program that
provides pupil transportation. The bill would require the department
to post the data on its Internet Web site, and would require the data
to be separated between home-to-school transportation and special
education transportation. To the extent this bill would impose
additional duties on local educational agencies, the bill would
impose a state-mandated local program.
   The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local
agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
   This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates
determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these
statutory provisions.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 41857 is added to the Education Code, to read:
   41857.  (a) Commencing with data for the 2014-15 fiscal year, and
each fiscal year thereafter, the department shall collect pupil
transportation data from each school district, charter school, county
office of education, joint powers authority, and regional
occupational center or program that provides pupil transportation.
   (b) The data collected shall include, but is not limited to,
totals from each entity for all of the following: revenue received
for transportation purposes, number of buses, ridership of all
pupils, ridership of pupils with an individualized education program
(IEP), ridership of pupils who are eligible for free or reduced-price
meals, number of miles driven, approved costs, cost per mile, and
cost per pupil.
   (c) (1) The department shall annually post the data collected on
its Internet Web site.
   (2) The data posted on the department's Internet Web site shall
also include the statewide average cost per mile and the statewide
average cost per pupil.
   (3) The data posted on the department's Internet Web site shall be
separated between home-to-school transportation and special
education transportation, as those terms are defined in Section
41850.
  SEC. 2.  If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this
act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local
agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant
to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of
the Government Code.