S-0682.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5324

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      54th Legislature     1995 Regular Session

By Senators Pelz, A. Anderson, West and Bauer

Read first time 01/18/95.  Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce & Trade.

Defining school bus driver.

    AN ACT Relating to the definition of a school bus driver; and amending RCW 28A.160.210.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

    Sec. 1.  RCW 28A.160.210 and 1989 c 178 s 20 are each amended to read as follows:

    In addition to other powers and duties, the state board of education shall adopt rules ((and regulations)) governing the training and qualifications of school bus drivers.  For the purposes of this section, "school bus driver" means a person who operates a school bus as defined in RCW 46.04.521, as well as other motor vehicles for the routine transportation of students between home and school on scheduled routes.  Such rules ((and regulations)) for school bus drivers shall be designed to insure that persons will not be employed to operate school buses unless they possess such physical health and driving skills as are necessary to safely operate school buses:  PROVIDED, That such rules ((and regulations)) shall insure that school bus drivers are provided a due process hearing before any certification required by such rules ((and regulations)) is ((cancelled)) canceled:  PROVIDED FURTHER, That such rules ((and regulations)) shall not conflict with the authority of the department of licensing to license school bus drivers in accordance with chapter 46.25 RCW.  The state board of education may obtain a copy of the driving record, as maintained by the department of licensing, for consideration when evaluating a school bus driver's driving skills.

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