Legislation that would give school districts more flexibility in transporting students cleared the state Senate unanimously on Monday.
The bill, Senate Bill 6031, would allow school districts to use money for school transportation to be used for vehicles other than school buses. Sponsor Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, said he discovered the issue while observing a school bus with only two children onboard.
After discussing the issue with local school officials, Braun discovered that state money could be used for buses rather than other vehicles that might be more efficient.
“It seemed a waste of resources to use a big school bus to transport just two kids. It makes more sense to allow school districts to use vans or other alternative vehicles, so long as they meet safety standards and are operated safely,” Braun said in a statement.
SB 6031 will now head to the House of Representatives for consideration.
“This will allow school districts more flexibility. Perhaps they’ll also save money by sometimes transporting kids in a vehicle that’s better suited to a specific use than a bus,” Braun said. “Seems like common sense.”
