| Passed by the House April 19, 2005 Yeas 98 FRANK CHOPP ________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives Passed by the Senate April 23, 2005 Yeas 45 BRAD OWEN ________________________________________ President of the Senate | I, Richard Nafziger, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is HOUSE BILL 1485 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth. RICHARD NAFZIGER ________________________________________ Chief Clerk | |
| Approved May 16, 2005. CHRISTINE GREGOIRE ________________________________________ Governor of the State of Washington | May 16, 2005 - 2:54 p.m. Secretary of State State of Washington |
| State of Washington | 59th Legislature | 2005 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/25/2005. Referred to Committee on Education.
AN ACT Relating to the school bus bid process; and amending RCW 28A.160.195.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1 RCW 28A.160.195 and 2004 c 276 s 904 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) The superintendent of public instruction, in consultation with
the regional transportation coordinators of the educational service
districts, shall establish a minimum number of school bus categories
considering the capacity and type of vehicles required by school
districts in Washington. The superintendent, in consultation with the
regional transportation coordinators of the educational service
districts, shall establish competitive specifications for each category
of school bus. The categories shall be developed to produce minimum
long-range operating costs, including costs of equipment and all costs
in operating the vehicles. ((The categories, for purposes of
comparative studies, will be at a minimum the same as those in the
beginning of the 1994-95 school year.)) The competitive specifications
shall meet federal motor vehicle safety standards, minimum state
specifications as established by rule by the superintendent, and
supported options as determined by the superintendent in consultation
with the regional transportation coordinators of the educational
service districts. ((In fiscal year 2005,)) The superintendent may
solicit and accept price quotes for a rear-engine category school bus
that shall be reimbursed at the price of the corresponding front engine
category.
(2) After establishing school bus categories and competitive
specifications, the superintendent of public instruction shall solicit
competitive price quotes for base buses from school bus dealers to be
in effect for one year and shall (((a) except in fiscal year 2005,
establish a list of the lowest competitive price quotes obtained under
this subsection, and (b) in fiscal year 2005,)) establish a list of all
accepted price quotes in each category obtained under this subsection.
The superintendent shall also solicit price quotes for optional
features and equipment.
(3) The superintendent shall base the level of reimbursement to
school districts and educational service districts for school buses on
the lowest quote for the base bus in each category. School districts
and educational service districts shall be reimbursed for buses
purchased only through a lowest-price competitive bid process conducted
under RCW 28A.335.190 or through the state bid process established by
this section.
(4) Notwithstanding RCW 28A.335.190, school districts and
educational service districts may purchase at the quoted price directly
from ((the)) any dealer who is ((providing the lowest competitive price
quote)) on the list established under subsection (2) of this section
((and in fiscal year 2005 from any dealer on the list established under
subsection (2)(b) of this section)). School districts and educational
service districts may make their own selections for school buses, but
shall be reimbursed at the rates determined under subsection (3) of
this section and RCW 28A.160.200. District-selected options shall not
be reimbursed by the state. ((For the 2003-05 fiscal biennium, school
districts and educational service districts shall be reimbursed for
buses purchased only through a lowest-price competitive bid process
conducted pursuant to RCW 28A.335.190 or through the state bid process
established by this section.))
(5) This section does not prohibit school districts or educational
service districts from conducting their own competitive bid process.
(6) The superintendent of public instruction may adopt rules under
chapter 34.05 RCW to implement this section.