Bill Text: NJ A3364 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Alters the amount school district may charge parents when it elects to offer empty seats on a school bus to students who live less than remote from school along established bus routes.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-10-11 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee [A3364 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-A3364-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman DANIEL R. BENSON
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Alters the amount school district may charge parents when it elects to offer empty seats on a school bus to students who live less than remote from school along established bus routes.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning pupil transportation and amending P.L.2001, c.327.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.2001, c.327 (C.18A:39-1.8) is amended to read as follows:
1. Any board of education which transports pupils to and from school pursuant to N.J.S.18A:39-1 may provide, on a space-available basis, for the transportation of elementary school pupils who live less than two miles from school and secondary school pupils who live less than two and a half miles from school along an established school bus route, and may require that if the parent, guardian or other person having legal custody of the child elects to have the pupil transported, the parent, guardian or other person having legal custody of the child shall pay all or a part of the additional costs of that transportation. A board of education may also provide, on a space-available basis, for the transportation of elementary school pupils who live less than two miles and secondary school pupils who live less than two and a half miles from any not for profit nonpublic school which satisfies the maximum distance requirements set forth in N.J.S.18A:39-1 along an established school bus route, and may require that if the parent, guardian or other person having legal custody of the child elects to have the pupil transported, the parent, guardian or other person having legal custody of the child shall pay all or a part of the additional costs of that transportation. The parent, guardian or other person having legal custody of the child may only be charged for any additional costs resulting from the addition of a bus stop by the board of education and from any other necessary additional services associated with the transportation provided to that student by the board of education. The costs of the transportation shall be paid at the time and in the manner determined by the board of education, provided that the costs shall be equitable for both public and nonpublic pupils.
A board of education shall notify the Department of Education when it elects to provide transportation for pupils under the provisions of this act.
(cf: P.L.2001, c.327, s.1)
2. This act shall first take effect in the 2013-2014 school year.
STATEMENT
Under current law a school district may elect to provide transportation on a space-available basis to public and nonpublic elementary school students who live less than two miles from school and public and nonpublic secondary school students who live less than two and a half miles from school, provided the student lives along an established school bus route. The district is permitted to charge the parent or guardian of the student for the empty seat on the bus no more than the per pupil cost of the route.
This bill would alter how much a district could charge a parent or guardian for this transportation. Pursuant to this bill a parent or guardian could only be charged for any additional costs resulting from the addition of a bus stop and from any necessary additional services associated with the transportation provided to that student. As is required currently, a board of education would not be permitted to exclude from this transportation any student whose parent or guardian is unable to pay the costs because of financial hardship.
