BILL NUMBER: SB 497	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 8, 2015

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 amended, 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  for  each fiscal year thereafter, require the State
Department of Education to  collect   request
 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  received  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   no  .


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
 for  each fiscal year thereafter, the department shall
 collect   request  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 provision of
the transportation data to   the department shall be
voluntary on the   part of these entities. 
   (b) The data  collected   requested 
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),  
program,  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   received  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.