What's happening
This bill makes permanent the provision allowing New York school districts to provide student transportation based on actual ridership patterns.
Why it matters
School districts will be able to plan and fund transportation based on actual student usage rather than projected or maximum eligible ridership. This could help districts align bus routes and schedules with real needs, potentially reducing unnecessary trips and costs.
Making this provision permanent gives districts greater flexibility and certainty in their long-term transportation planning and budgeting. Previously, the provision was subject to periodic expiration and renewal, which made it harder for districts to commit to ongoing efficiency improvements.
Taxpayers may see financial benefits if districts can reduce transportation expenses. By matching transportation services to actual ridership, schools could lower fuel, maintenance, and staffing costs, potentially easing pressure on local property taxes or freeing up funds for other educational priorities.
The change could encourage more data-driven decision-making in school operations. Districts will have an ongoing incentive to track and analyze student transportation patterns, which could lead to further innovations and efficiencies beyond just busing.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Keep Efficient Bus Routes
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to education
- Print number 5997a
- Amend and recommit to education
- Referred to education
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Make Smart Bus Routes Permanent
In Assembly Committee · Education · Sponsor David Buchwald
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5997--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 16, 2019
Introduced by Sen. HARCKHAM -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend subpart F of part C of chapter 97 of the laws of 2011 amending the education law relating to census reporting, in relation to making permanent certain provisions authorizing a school district to provide student transportation based upon patterns of actual ridership
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 26 of subpart F of part C of chapter 97 of the laws of 2011 amending the education law relating to census reporting, as amended by section 46 of part YYY of chapter 59 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
§ 26. This act shall take effect immediately provided, however, [that the provisions of section three of this act shall expire June 30, 2024 when upon such date the provisions of such section shall be deemed repealed; provided, further] that the provisions of sections eight, eleven, twelve, thirteen and twenty of this act shall expire July 1, 2014 when upon such date the provisions of such sections shall be deemed repealed.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00684-03-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend subpart F of part C of chapter 97 of the laws of 2011 amending the education law relating to census report- ing, in relation to making permanent certain provisions authorizing a school district to provide student transportation based upon patterns of actual ridership
Purpose
This bill would make permanent changes to student bus transportation based upon patterns of actual ridership.
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Amends section 26 subpart F of part C of chapter 97 of the laws of 2011 to permanently extend the option to school districts to reduce the number of seats available on bus transportation based on patterns of actual ridership. Nothing in this section will reduce the number of seats available for students currently in need of transporta- tion.
Section 2: Sets the effective date.
Justification
As part of chapter 97 of the laws of 2011, the option for school districts to stop wasting money on empty school bus seats and instead base bus transportation on patterns of ridership was implemented and set to expire on June 30, 2019. This bill continues this opportunity for mandate relief by extending this provision and making this cost saving measure available for school districts permanently.
Legislative history
2018: A.6392 (Buchwald) - Referred to Education / S.7560 (Marcellino) Referred to Education
Fiscal implications
None to the State.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.