BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    






                         SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
                              Gloria Romero, Chair
                           2009-2010 Regular Session
                                        

          BILL NO:       SB 315
          AUTHOR:        Liu
          INTRODUCED:    February 25, 2009
          FISCAL COMM:   No             HEARING DATE:  April 1, 2009
          URGENCY:       No             CONSULTANT:    Lynn Lorber

           SUBJECT  :  Walking Schoolbus
          
           SUMMARY  

          This bill defines "walking schoolbus" as a group of pupils  
          walking to or from school with one or more supervising  
          adults, and authorizes a school district to establish a  
          walking schoolbus in any school within the district  
          boundaries.

           BACKGROUND  

          The California Department of Transportation (CalTrans), in  
          consultation with the Department of the California Highway  
          Patrol, administers a "Safe Routes to School" program for  
          the construction of bicycle and pedestrian safety and  
          traffic calming projects.  CalTrans awards competitive  
          grants to local governmental agencies (including school  
          districts) for this program.  K-12 schools are the targeted  
          beneficiaries of this grant.  $196 million has been awarded  
          to over 700 Safe Routes to School projects between 2000 and  
          2008.  $24.25 million appears to be available for the  
          2009-10 fiscal year.

          The federal Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient  
          Transportation Equity Act - A Legacy for Users, is similar  
          to the state Safe Routes to School program.  K-8 schools  
          are the targeted beneficiaries of this federal grant.   
          Approximately $46 million has been awarded to date via this  
          federal program.

          Current law requires school safety plans to include, among  
          other elements, "procedures for safe ingress and egress of  
          pupils, parents and school employees to and from school."





                                                                SB 315
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           ANALYSIS
           
           This bill  authorizes a school district to establish and  
          maintain a walking schoolbus in any school within the  
          district boundaries.  Specifically, this bill:

          1)   Authorizes the governing board of any school district  
               to establish and maintain a walking schoolbus in any  
               of the schools in the district for the purpose of  
               ensuring the safe passage of pupils to and from  
               school.

          2)   Defines "walking schoolbus" as a group of pupils  
               walking to or from school with one or more supervising  
               adults.

          3)   Specifies "adults" includes parents, guardians, or  
               teachers of a pupil who is participating in the  
               walking schoolbus.

           STAFF COMMENTS  

           1)   Permissive Education Code  .  This bill authorizes an  
               action that can already be undertaken under existing  
               law.  Given this, the committee may wish to consider  
               whether the bill is necessary.

           2)   Liability issues  ?  It is unclear if schools and  
               parents could face additional liability issues  
               concerning the operation of a walking schoolbus.   
               Several resources regarding the establishment of a  
               walking schoolbus stress the importance of keeping the  
               program informal to minimize liability issues.  School  
               districts choosing to establish a walking schoolbus  
               should consider liability issues and requiring parent  
               consent forms.

           SUPPORT  

          American Federation of State, County and Municipal  
          Employees

           OPPOSITION

           None received.