SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5844

As of February 21, 2001

Title:  An act relating to traffic safety education.

Brief Description:  Changing traffic safety education provisions.

Sponsors:  Senators McAuliffe, Carlson, Franklin, Hewitt, Kastama, Haugen, Patterson, Zarelli, Fairley, Oke, Fraser, Deccio, Constantine, Long, Kline, Parlette, Thibaudeau, Honeyford, Hochstatter, Spanel, Rasmussen, Winsley and Kohl‑Welles.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Education:  2/21/01.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Staff:  Kelly Simpson (786‑7403)

Background:  Under current law, school districts may offer a traffic safety education course.  Washington law does not currently require a minimum grade point average for students enrolling in school district traffic safety education courses.

Subject to available funding from the Legislature, school districts offering a traffic safety education course must be reimbursed from funds appropriated for traffic safety education.  The Superintendent of Public Instruction must determine the per-pupil reimbursement rate to be funded by the state for districts offering approved traffic safety education programs.  Additionally, local school boards may require students enrolled in traffic safety courses to pay a traffic safety education fee.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  School district-offered traffic safety education courses may only be provided to students maintaining a grade point average of 2.0 or its equivalent.

Funds appropriated by the Legislature to reimburse school districts offering traffic safety education courses must be distributed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction based on a per-pupil rate for students eligible for free-or-reduced price lunches (i.e., low income students).  The superintendent must determine the state-funded per-pupil reimbursement rate for low-income students enrolled in approved traffic safety education programs. 

Local school boards must require students enrolled in traffic safety courses to pay a traffic safety education fee.  If funding is made available by the Legislature, the fee must be waived for low-income students enrolled in the courses.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The original bill was not considered.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.