SENATE, No. 1480

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED SEPTEMBER 19, 1996

By Senator KENNY

An Act concerning transportation services for certain public school pupils and supplementing chapter 39 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.

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

    1. a. In addition to the transportation services required pursuant to N.J.S.18A:39-1, whenever in any school district there is an elementary school pupil who lives two miles or less from his public school of attendance whose parent, guardian or other person having legal custody of the pupil is handicapped, the district shall furnish transportation services to and from school for the pupil, if the Commissioner of Education finds that the handicap of the parent, guardian or other person having legal custody of the pupil makes transportation services necessary or advisable.

    b. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 16 of P.L.1990, c.52 (C.18A:7D-18), a school district which provides transportation services pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall receive State transportation aid in an amount as determined by the commissioner.

    2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall first apply to the 1997-98 school year.

STATEMENT

    Currently, school districts are not obligated to provide transportation services to elementary pupils who live two miles or less from their school. This bill would require that whenever in any school district there is a public school elementary pupil who lives two miles or less from his school whose parent , guardian or other person having legal custody of the pupil is handicapped, the district is to furnish transportation services to and from school for this pupil, if the Commissioner of Education finds that the handicap of the parent, guardian or other person having legal custody of the child makes transportation services necessary or advisable. In addition, the amount of a district 's State aid for transportation of pupils under this bill shall be determined by the commissioner.

Requires school districts to provide transportation services to pupils with handicapped parents.