S.B. 174

1

EDUCATION TRANSPORTATION AMENDMENTS
2 2007 GENERAL SESSION
3 STATE OF UTAH
4 Chief Sponsor: Darin G. Peterson
5 House Sponsor: Ronda Rudd Menlove
6
7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill makes changes to pupil transportation cost reporting and funding.
10 Highlighted Provisions:
11 This bill:
12 . requires a school district to report pupil transportation costs based on an audited
13 financial report; and
14 . requires the Board of Education to allocate pupil transportation costs based on
15 information reported by school districts from an audited financial report.
16 Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
17 None
18 Other Special Clauses:
19 None
20 Utah Code Sections Affected:
21 AMENDS:
22 53A-17a-126, as last amended by Chapters 221 and 320, Laws of Utah 2003
23 53A-17a-127, as last amended by Chapter 73, Laws of Utah 2001
24
25 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
26 Section 1. Section 53A-17a-126 is amended to read:
27 53A-17a-126. State support of pupil transportation.

28 (1) Money appropriated to the State Board of Education in Section 53A-17a-104 for
29 state-supported transportation of public school students shall be apportioned and distributed in
30 accordance with Section 53A-17a-127 , except as otherwise provided in this section.
31 (2) (a) The Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind shall use money appropriated in
32 Section 53A-17a-104 to pay for transportation of their students based on current valid
33 contractual arrangements and best transportation options and methods as determined by the
34 schools.
35 (b) All student transportation costs of the schools shall be paid from the allocation of
36 pupil transportation monies received under Section 53A-17a-104 .
37 (3) (a) A school district shall claim eligible transportation costs as legally reported on
38 the prior year's annual financial report submitted under Section 53A-3-404 .
39 [(3)] (b) Each district shall receive its approved transportation costs, except that if
40 during the fiscal year the total transportation allowance for all districts exceeds the amount
41 appropriated, all allowances shall be reduced pro rata to equal not more than that amount.
42 (4) Local school boards shall provide salary adjustments to employee groups that work
43 with the transportation of students comparable to those of classified employees authorized
44 under Section 53A-17a-137 , when dividing the weighted pupil unit for salary adjustment
45 purposes.
46 Section 2. Section 53A-17a-127 is amended to read:
47 53A-17a-127. Eligibility for state-supported transportation -- Approved bus
48 routes -- Additional local tax.
49 (1) A student eligible for state-supported transportation means:
50 (a) a student enrolled in kindergarten through grade six who lives at least 1-1/2 miles
51 from school;
52 (b) a student enrolled in grades seven through 12 who lives at least two miles from
53 school; and
54 (c) a student enrolled in a special program offered by a school district and approved by
55 the State Board of Education for trainable, motor, multiple-disabled, or other students with
56 severe disabilities who are incapable of walking to school or where it is unsafe for students to
57 walk because of their disabling condition, without reference to distance from school.
58 (2) If a school district implements double sessions as an alternative to new building

59 construction, with the approval of the State Board of Education, those affected elementary
60 school students residing less than 1-1/2 miles from school may be transported one way to or
61 from school because of safety factors relating to darkness or other hazardous conditions as
62 determined by the local school board.
63 (3) (a) The State [Office] Board of Education shall distribute transportation monies to
64 school districts based on three factors:
65 (i) an allowance per mile for approved bus routes;
66 (ii) an allowance per hour for approved bus routes; and
67 (iii) an annual allowance for equipment and overhead costs based on approved bus
68 routes and the age of the equipment.
69 (b) The State Board of Education shall distribute funds based on the prior year's
70 eligible transportation costs as reported under Subsection 53A-17a-126 (3).
71 [(b)] (c) In order for a bus to be considered for the equipment allowance, it must meet
72 federal and state regulations and standards for school buses.
73 [(c)] (d) The State [Office] Board of Education shall annually review the allowance per
74 mile, the allowance per hour, and the annual equipment and overhead allowance and adjust the
75 allowance to reflect current economic conditions.
76 (4) (a) Approved bus routes for funding purposes shall be determined on fall data
77 collected by October 1.
78 (b) Approved route funding shall be determined on the basis of the most efficient and
79 economic routes.
80 (5) A Transportation Advisory Committee with representation from local school
81 superintendents, business officials, school district transportation supervisors, and the State
82 [Office] Board of Education shall serve as a review committee for addressing school
83 transportation needs, including recommended approved bus routes.
84 (6) (a) A local school board may provide for the transportation of students who are not
85 eligible under Subsection (1), regardless of the distance from school, from:
86 (i) general funds of the district; and
87 (ii) a tax rate not to exceed .0003 per dollar of taxable value imposed on the district.
88 (b) A local school board may use revenue from the tax to pay for transporting
89 participating students to interscholastic activities, night activities, and educational field trips

90 approved by the board and for the replacement of school buses.
91 (c) (i) If a local school board levies a tax under Subsection (6)(a)(ii) of at least .0002,
92 the state may contribute an amount not to exceed 85% of the state average cost per mile,
93 contingent upon the Legislature appropriating funds for a state contribution.
94 (ii) The State [Office] Board of Education shall enact rules to distribute the state
95 contribution [according to rules enacted by the State Board of Education].
96 (d) (i) The amount of state guarantee money to which a school district would otherwise
97 be entitled to under Subsection (6)(c) may not be reduced for the sole reason that the district's
98 levy is reduced as a consequence of changes in the certified tax rate under Section 59-2-924
99 due to changes in property valuation.
100 (ii) Subsection (6)(d)(i) applies for a period of two years following the change in the
101 certified tax rate.
102 [(7) There is appropriated for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1999, $225,000 to the
103 state board as the state's contribution under Subsection (6)(c)(i).]




Legislative Review Note
as of 2-5-07 9:53 AM

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel