SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5821

                    As of February 8, 1995

Title:  An act relating to school bus acquisitions.

Brief Description:  Changing school bus purchasing procedures.

Sponsors:  Senator Quigley.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Education:  2/9/95.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Staff:  Leslie Goldstein (786-7424)

Background:   Districts purchase 450 school buses per year.  In the 1993-95 operating budget, the Legislature required the Superintendent of Public Instruction to evaluate methods of purchasing school buses.

The study found that the average price for a school bus in Washington was substantially higher than the price of buses in Florida, Kentucky, Nebraska, North Carolina and Texas.  These states have state centralized bus purchasing.

Currently, school districts purchase buses and the state provides replacement funds on a depreciation basis.   Annual payments are made to districts which, when saved by the district, would pay for a new bus.  Annual depreciation payments are calculated based on the remaining life of the bus and the state-average purchase price for that category.  The state average purchase price is based upon districts' actual purchase prices in the previous school year adjusted for inflation.

Summary of Bill: A centralized state bidding process is established for school bus purchases.  The Superintendent of Public Instruction establishes criteria for the buses.  The Department of General Administration administers the state bid and purchase of buses.  All school bus purchases must be made from the state bid.  State depreciation payments are based on the state bid price.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction must standardize and simplify the categories for school buses and the specifications for each category.

The clean fuel vehicle requirements for state purchase of vehicles do not apply to the purchase of school buses. 

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on February 8, 1995.

Effective Date:  Section 2 takes effect immediately.  The remainder of the bill takes effect September 1, 1995.