BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 1072|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 1072
Author: Mendoza (D), et al.
Amended: 4/7/16
Vote: 21
SENATE TRANS. & HOUSING COMMITTEE: 10-0, 4/5/16
AYES: Beall, Cannella, Allen, Bates, Galgiani, Leyva, McGuire,
Mendoza, Roth, Wieckowski
NO VOTE RECORDED: Gaines
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: 9-0, 4/13/16
AYES: Liu, Block, Hancock, Huff, Leyva, Mendoza, Monning, Pan,
Vidak
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: 7-0, 5/2/16
AYES: Lara, Bates, Beall, Hill, McGuire, Mendoza, Nielsen
SUBJECT: Schoolbus safety: child safety alarm system
SOURCE: State Council on Developmental Disabilities
DIGEST: This bill deals with pupils left unattended in school
buses by (1) requiring the installation of a child safety alarm
system which forces the bus driver to walk to the rear of the
bus before exiting, (2) requiring the establishment of
procedures to ensure that pupils aren't left unattended, and (3)
establishing a process for reporting incidents of unattended
pupils and authorizing the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to
revoke or suspend the school bus driving authority of the
driver.
SB 1072
Page 2
ANALYSIS:
Existing law:
1)Requires school officials to develop transportation safety
plans.
2)Requires enhanced certification to become a school bus driver.
3)Authorizes the DMV to refuse to issue or renew such
certification if certain specified crimes or misconduct has
occurred.
4)Requires specialized equipment in school buses such as seat
belts and external lighting systems.
This bill:
1)Requires public and private school officials, as defined, to
establish procedures to ensure that pupils are not left
unattended on school buses.
2)Requires public and private school officials, as defined, to
notify the DMV if a school bus driver leaves a pupil
unattended on a school bus.
3)Requires that school bus drivers be instructed on how to
ensure that pupils are not left unattended.
4)Authorizes the DMV to refuse to issue or renew the school bus
driver certificate if the driver has left a pupil unattended
on a school bus.
5)Requires school buses to be equipped, by the 2018-19 school
year, with child safety alarm systems which force drivers to
manually disarm an alarm at the rear of the bus before exiting
the bus.
6)Requires, by January 1, 2018, the California Highway Patrol
(CHP) to adopt regulations for child safety alarm systems.
Comments
SB 1072
Page 3
1)Purpose. The author notes that in California there have been
several cases where children were left on school buses
unattended and found hours later. In a particularly tragic
case last year, a special-needs student in Los Angeles died
after being left alone on a bus for many hours. This bill
seeks to prevent children being left unattended on buses by
requiring drivers walk the length of the bus to deactivate an
alarm system before leaving. It also strengthens driver
protocols and training and provides the DMV the authority to
suspend the bus driver's certificate to drive the bus.
2)The problem. While it may be hard to imagine how a child
could be left alone on a school bus, the author has identified
eight instances since 2012. Those students ranged in age from
2 to 19 years old; all were either special needs or autistic.
Neither the CHP nor the DMV keep records of these types of
accidents, so it is difficult to judge the pervasiveness of
the problem.
3)Alarm system. The author believes that making the bus driver
walk through the bus will address the problem. The alarm
system required by this bill has a switch located at the rear
of the bus. At the end of the trip, the driver has to walk
through the bus to physically flip the switch before exiting
the bus to prevent an alarm from sounding. These devices are
made by several manufacturers and have been deployed by the
Los Angeles Unified School District. According to the author,
the District spent $194,000 to equip all 1,300 of their buses.
4)School bus driver certificates. In addition to a driver's
license, school bus drivers must also obtain a certificate to
operate the bus. This requires the driver to, among other
things, pass a medical exam, submit fingerprints, pass a
first-aid exam, meet with the CHP bus coordinator, and take an
on-road driving exam. The certificate is revocable if the bus
driver misbehaves. The DMV must revoke the certificate if the
driver has been convicted of a sex offense, as specified, or a
violent felony. In addition, the DMV may revoke the
certificate if the driver has been convicted of other less
serious crimes. This bill authorizes the DMV to revoke the
certificate if the driver has left a student unattended on a
school bus.
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5)Other buses. In addition to school buses, this bill also
deals with School Pupil Activity Buses (SPABs). These are
typically chartered buses which take students to and from
school activities, such as sporting events. SPABs are
required to have parents or parent representatives (e.g.,
school officials) present at the beginning and end of the
trip. SPABs tend to have on-board chaperones. The California
Bus Association believes that this provides assurance that
students are not left on the buses, and that therefore the
requirement for an alarm system is unnecessary for SPABs.
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal
Com.:YesLocal: Yes
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:
Unknown, likely significant local costs to implement the
requirements of this bill. These costs are not state
reimbursable.
Minor costs to the California Department of Education to
modify bus driver training programs to include instruction on
inspection procedures that ensure a student is not left
unattended. (General Fund)
Minor and absorbable costs for the CHP to adopt regulations
regarding child safety alarm systems, and to incorporate
requirements into school bus inspections. (Motor Vehicle
Account)
Minor and absorbable costs for the DMV to account for an
additional circumstance that would result in the refusal to
issue or renew a bus driver certificate, or the revocation or
suspension of that certificate. (Motor Vehicle Account)
SUPPORT: (Verified5/2/16)
State Council on Developmental Disabilities (source)
American Academy of Pediatrics
SB 1072
Page 5
Autism Speaks
California School Nurses Organization
Center for Autism and Related Disorders
Los Angeles Unified School District
The Arc and United Cerebral Palsy California Collaboration
20 individuals
OPPOSITION: (Verified5/2/16)
California Association of School Business Officials
California Bus Association
Prepared by:Randy Chinn / T. & H. / (916) 651-4121
5/4/16 15:04:16
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