FINAL BILL REPORT

                   SB 6684

                          C 279 L 96

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Authorizing student transportation funding for students living within one mile of the school.

Sponsors:  Senators McAuliffe, Johnson, Goings, Finkbeiner, Pelz, Rasmussen, Fairley, Hochstatter, Bauer and Winsley.

Senate Committee on Education

House Committee on Education

House Committee on Appropriations

Background:  Each school district determines which students will be transported to and from school by the district and what routes will be used to transport the students.

If a school district elects to provide student transportation, then the state allocates funds for student transportation based on the number of students who are eligible and who actually ride buses.  Eligible students include certain students with disabilities, students whose route stop is more than one radius mile from the student's school, and students whose route stop is less than one radius mile from the student's school, if their walking conditions qualify them for hazardous conditions transportation.

Money allocated by the state for student transportation must be spent for student transportation activities and cannot be used to mitigate hazardous walking conditions.

Summary:  The allocation formula for student transportation is changed.  Instead of funding based on the existence of a hazardous walking condition existing for students living within one radius mile of school, funding is based on the number of students in grades kindergarten through five living within one radius mile of school.

Funds allocated to school districts for students living within one mile of school can be spent to alleviate hazardous walking conditions.  Actions to alleviate these conditions can include the use of bus transportation, funding of crossing guards, and matching funds for local and state transportation projects intended to mitigate hazardous walking conditions.  Priority must be given to students in grades kindergarten through five.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate    46 0

House     92 0 (House amended)

Senate    47 0 (Senate concurred)

Effective:  June 6, 1996