S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    652
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 6, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. SANDERS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to  establishing  a  task
   force on safety in school transportation

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new  section  3638
 to read as follows:
   §  3638.  TASK  FORCE  ON SAFETY IN SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION. 1. THERE IS
 HEREBY CREATED A TASK FORCE ON SAFETY IN SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION WITH  THE
 PURPOSE OF REVIEWING AND PROMOTING SAFETY IN SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION.
   2.  THE  TASK  FORCE  SHALL  CONSIST  OF EIGHTEEN MEMBERS APPOINTED AS
 FOLLOWS: FIVE MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR, FIVE MEMBERS  APPOINTED
 BY  THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, AND FIVE MEMBERS APPOINTED BY
 THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY. THE  TASK  FORCE  SHALL  ALSO  INCLUDE  THE
 COMMISSIONER  OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE; THE COMMISSIONER OF TRANSPORTATION
 OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE; AND THE COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF  MOTOR
 VEHICLES  OR  HIS  OR  HER DESIGNEE.   THE MEMBERS APPOINTED TO THE TASK
 FORCE SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE  LIMITED  TO,  EDUCATION  AND  COMMUNITY
 STAKEHOLDERS,  PARENTS, TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS AND
 OTHER SCHOOL BUS PERSONNEL.
   3. IT SHALL BE THE DUTY OF THE TASK FORCE TO STUDY AND ISSUE RECOMMEN-
 DATIONS RELATED TO STUDENT SAFETY IN  SCHOOL  TRANSPORTATION.  THE  TASK
 FORCE SHALL REVIEW AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON:
   A.  EXISTING STATE LAWS, REGULATIONS, AND PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS SCHOOL
 BUS SAFETY, AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR  THEIR  IMPROVEMENT,  INCLUDING
 ANY RECOMMENDATIONS NECESSARY TO ENSURE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AND THE SAFETY
 OF STUDENTS;
   B. EXAMINING THE POSSIBILITY OF REQUIRING A STATE DEPARTMENT OR OFFICE
 TO  CONDUCT A BIANNUAL REVIEW OF ALL ASPECTS OF SCHOOL BUS SAFETY AND TO
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
              

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD05193-01-1

 S. 652                              2
 
 ISSUE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ADDITIONAL ACTION OR OVERSIGHT,  AS  APPROPRI-
 ATE;
   C. DEVELOPING A PLAN TO PHASE IN ANY SCHOOL BUS SAFETY MEASURES RECOM-
 MENDED  BY  THE  TASK FORCE THROUGH RETROFITTING AND PROSPECTIVE VEHICLE
 PURCHASES, AND IDENTIFY THE  POTENTIAL  APPLICATION  OF  VEHICLE  SENSOR
 TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE SCHOOL BUS SAFETY;
   D. IDENTIFYING BEST PRACTICES FOR THE DESIGNATION OF SCHOOL BUS STOPS;
   E.  THE  CURRENT SAFETY STATUS OF STUDENTS WHO WALK TO AND FROM SCHOOL
 AND  IDENTIFY  STRATEGIES  THAT  SUPPORT  SAFE  PEDESTRIAN  BEHAVIOR  BY
 STUDENTS  BETWEEN THEIR HOMES AND SCHOOLS, INCLUDING AS THEY WALK TO AND
 FROM BUS STOPS AND BOARD AND EXIT BUSES;
   F. IDENTIFYING SAFETY PROTOCOLS TO BE FOLLOWED BY SCHOOL  BUS  DRIVERS
 AND  SCHOOL BUS AIDES, INCLUDING SAFEGUARDS TO ENSURE THAT PROTOCOLS ARE
 FOLLOWED WHEN A SUBSTITUTE DRIVER OR SCHOOL BUS AIDE IS  ASSIGNED  TO  A
 SCHOOL BUS;
   G. DEVELOPING RECOMMENDATIONS TO CURB ILLEGAL PASSING OF SCHOOL BUSES;
 AND
   H.  DETERMINING  IF  THERE  IS  A NEED FOR ADDITIONAL PUBLIC EDUCATION
 PROGRAMS THAT PROMOTE SCHOOL BUS SAFETY.
   4.  VACANCIES IN THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE TASK FORCE SHALL BE  FILLED  IN
 THE  SAME  MANNER AS THE ORIGINAL APPOINTMENTS WERE MADE. THE MEMBERS OF
 THE TASK FORCE SHALL SERVE WITHOUT COMPENSATION BUT  MAY  BE  REIMBURSED
 FOR NECESSARY EXPENSES INCURRED IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES.
   5.  THE  TASK  FORCE  SHALL  ORGANIZE AS SOON AS IS PRACTICAL UPON THE
 APPOINTMENT OF A MAJORITY OF ITS MEMBERS.  THE CHAIR OF THE  TASK  FORCE
 SHALL BE DESIGNATED BY A SIMPLE MAJORITY VOTE OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE TASK
 FORCE.
   6.  THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROVIDE STAFF AND RELATED SUPPORT SERVICES TO
 THE TASK FORCE. THE TASK FORCE SHALL ALSO BE ENTITLED TO CALL  UPON  THE
 SERVICES  OF  ANY STATE, COUNTY, OR MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENT, BOARD, COMMIS-
 SION OR AGENCY, AS MAY BE AVAILABLE TO IT FOR  THESE  PURPOSES,  AND  TO
 INCUR  SUCH  TRAVELING  AND  OTHER MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES AS IT MAY DEEM
 NECESSARY FOR THE PROPER EXECUTION OF ITS DUTIES AND AS  MAY  BE  WITHIN
 THE  LIMIT  OF  FUNDS APPROPRIATED OR OTHERWISE MADE AVAILABLE TO IT FOR
 THESE PURPOSES. THE TASK FORCE MAY MEET AND HOLD HEARINGS AT SUCH PLACES
 AS IT SHALL DESIGNATE.
   7.  THE TASK FORCE SHALL CREATE A FINAL REPORT REGARDING ALL  FINDINGS
 AND  RECOMMENDATIONS TO BE DELIVERED ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER THIRTY-FIRST,
 TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-TWO TO THE GOVERNOR, THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF  THE
 SENATE,  THE  SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE CHAIR OF THE SENATE EDUCATION
 COMMITTEE, THE CHAIR OF THE ASSEMBLY EDUCATION COMMITTEE, THE  CHAIR  OF
 THE SENATE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE AND THE CHAIR OF THE ASSEMBLY TRANS-
 PORTATION COMMITTEE.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.