LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE TO


[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 1567


STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

DATED: JUNE 13, 1996

 

 

      Assembly Bill No.1567(1R) of 1996 requires the installation of a crossing control arm on all school buses. A crossing control arm is a safety device which is attached to the right front corner of a school bus. Each time the bus door is opened, the arm extends outward from the front of the bus. Its purpose is to prevent children who must cross the street after exiting the bus from walking too close to the front where the driver may be unable to see them. This bill provides that each school district which owns and operates its own buses and any school bus contractor which provides transportation services pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:39-1 will receive reimbursement from the Department of Education in an amount not to exceed $300 per bus for the cost of equipping school buses currently in operation with a crossing control arm.

      The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) estimates the potential cost to the State of the bill to be approximately $3.6 million. This estimate is based on information provided by the Department of Education that 12,000 of the 15,000 school buses currently in operation would need to have crossing control arms installed. This bill requires the Department of Education to reimburse up to $300 per bus for the installation of a cross control arm; therefore, the total State cost is estimated to be $3.6 million. OLS also notes that the enactment of the bill would not likely result in any additional costs to local school districts because the $300 per bus reimbursement from the Department of Education should be sufficient to cover the actual cost of equipping a school bus with a crossing control arm.

      The legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.

 

This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67.