Bill Text: NJ S433 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires two-way communications equipment on school buses.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-01-23 - Referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee [S433 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-S433-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
215th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2012 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator NICHOLAS J. SACCO
District 32 (Bergen and Hudson)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senators Turner and Allen
SYNOPSIS
Requires two-way communications equipment on school buses.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act requiring two-way communications equipment 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 in operation on the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) and every new or used bus purchased on or after that date which is used to transport pupils pursuant to N.J.S.18A:39-1 shall be equipped, while students are being transported, with two-way communications equipment, such as, but not limited to, a cellular or other wireless telephone. Each school district and each school bus contractor shall receive reimbursement from the Department of Education for any required retrofitting of school buses in operation on the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) or the cost of other two-way communications equipment that satisfies the requirements of this section. The school district or school bus contractor may apply for reimbursement on an application form as the Commissioner of Education shall prescribe. The application shall be accompanied by a receipt for the purchase of the two-way communications equipment through an authorized dealer.
In no event shall a school bus driver use hand-held communications equipment while operating the bus.
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.
3. This act shall take effect on the 180th day after enactment, but the Commissioner of Education may take such administrative action in advance as shall be necessary for the implementation of the act.
STATEMENT
This bill requires every school bus in operation on the effective date of the act and every new or used bus purchased on or after that date to be equipped, while students are being transported, with two-way communications equipment, which may include cellular or other wireless telephones. Each school district and each school bus contractor would receive reimbursement from the Department of Education for retrofitting those school buses in operation on the effective date of the act or for the cost of other two-way communications equipment that satisfies the requirements of the bill. The school district or school bus contractor would apply for reimbursement on an application form prescribed by the Commissioner of Education and accompanied by a receipt for the purchase of the two-way communications equipment through an authorized dealer.
