H-1495.2 _______________________________________________
SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1246
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State of Washington 54th Legislature 1995 Regular Session
By House Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives Kremen, Goldsmith, Mastin, Kessler, Van Luven, Dyer, Sheldon, Hymes, Quall, Basich, Morris, Chandler, Backlund, Talcott and Sheahan)
Read first time 02/20/95.
AN ACT Relating to the regulation of private school buses; amending RCW 46.04.521 and 46.37.193; and adding a new section to chapter 46.37 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 46.04.521 and 1965 ex.s. c 155 s 90 are each amended to read as follows:
School bus means every motor vehicle used regularly to transport children to and from school or in connection with school activities, which is subject to the requirements set forth in the most recent edition of "Specifications for School Buses" published by the state superintendent of public instruction, but does not include buses operated by common carriers in urban transportation of school children or private carrier buses operated as school buses in the transportation of children to and from private schools or school activities.
Sec. 2. RCW 46.37.193 and 1990 c 241 s 10 are each amended to read as follows:
Every school bus and private carrier bus, in addition to any other equipment or distinctive markings required by this chapter, shall bear upon the front and rear thereof, above the windows thereof, plainly visible signs containing only the words "school bus" on a school bus and only the words "private carrier bus" on a private carrier bus in letters not less than eight inches in height, and in addition shall be equipped with visual signals meeting the requirements of RCW 46.37.190.
However, a private carrier bus that regularly transports children to and from a private school or in connection with school activities may display the words "school bus" in a manner provided in this section and need not comply with the requirements set forth in the most recent edition of "Specifications for School Buses" published by the superintendent of public instruction.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 46.37 RCW to read as follows:
A private school bus is subject to the requirements set forth in the National Standards for School Buses established by the national safety council in effect at the time of the bus manufacture, as adopted by rule by reference by the chief of the Washington state patrol. A private school bus manufactured before 1980 must meet the minimum standards set forth in the 1980 edition of the National Standards for School Buses.
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