[Second Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 1567

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 15, 1996

 

 

By Assemblymen ROBERTS, BODINE, Assemblywoman Turner, Assemblymen Gusciora and Rocco

 

 

An Act concerning the installation of crossing control arms on school buses and supplementing P.L.1965, c.119 (C.39:3B-1 et seq.).

 

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

    1. Every school bus 2 in operation on the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. )(now pending before the Legislature as this bill) and every new or used school bus purchased on or after the effective date of P.L., c. (C. )2 used to transport pupils pursuant to N.J.S.18A:39-1 et seq. 2, including buses used to transport all nonpublic school pupils, 2 shall be equipped with a crossing control arm at the right front corner of the bus. 2In each year subsequent to the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. )(now pending before the Legislature as this bill), 50 percent of all school bus fleets in operation on the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) owned by a board of education or a school bus contractor not already equipped with a crossing control arm shall be so equipped, provided, however that each vehicle used to transport elementary school students shall be given priority to be equipped with a crossing control arm in the first year following the effective date.2 The arm shall open and extend out from the front of the bus at least 5 1/2 feet each time the bus door is opened. 1[The use of the crossing control arm shall not be required on school bus routes where no pupil need cross a street prior to boarding or upon leaving the bus.]1

 

    12. Each school district that owns and operates its own school buses and each school bus contractor that provides transportation services pursuant to N.J.S.18A:39-1 shall receive reimbursement from the Department of Education in an amount up to, but not to exceed, $300 per bus for 2[the cost of equipping school buses in operation on the effective date of this act with a crossing control arm.1] retrofitting those school buses in operation on the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. )(now pending before the Legislature as this bill) and an amount up to, but not to exceed, $200 per bus for buses put into operation after that date for the cost of including the crossing control arm on those buses. If any school district or school bus contractor chooses to equip more than 50 percent of its school buses in any one year, it shall receive a maximum reimbursement for 50 percent of its school buses for that year. Reimbursement for retrofitting more than 50 percent of its school buses will be paid in subsequent years based on a schedule to be determined by the Commissioner, not to exceed two years2.1

 

    23. Within 60 days of the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. )(now pending before the Legislature as this bill), each board of education and school bus contractor shall submit to the Commissioner of Education a list of all vehicles that are used to transport students pursuant to N.J.S.18A:39-1 on the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (now pending before the Legislature as this bill) including: the vehicle serial number; the year, make and license plate number as noted on the vehicle registration; and an indication as to whether the vehicle is currently equipped with a crossing control arm.

    The owners of such vehicles may apply for reimbursement through the Department of Education in accordance with section 2 of P.L. , c. (C. )(now pending before the Legislature as this bill) on an application form as the Commissioner of Education shall prescribe. The application shall be accompanied by a receipt for the purchase of the crossing control arm through an authorized dealer.2

 

    1[2.] 2[3.1] 4.2 The State Board of Education shall adopt rules and regulations pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.) necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act.

 

    1[3.] 2[4.1] 5.2 This act shall take effect immediately 1[but section 1 shall only apply to school buses with a chassis manufacture date on or after the first day of the sixth month following the enactment of this act].1

 

 

                             

 

Requires the installation of crossing control arms on public school buses.