Senate Sponsors: SIEBEN-CULLERTON. House Sponsors: MOFFITT-MITCHELL-SMITH,MICHAEL-HANNIG-RYDER Short description: SCHL BUS CROSSING CONTROL ARMS Synopsis of Bill as introduced: Amends the School Code, Illinois Vehicle Code, and the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Establishes a matching grant reimbursement program under which school districts are reimbursed, from a separate appropriation made for that purpose, for one-third of the approved additional costs which they incur as a result of the installation of crossing control arms on school buses. Subject to a limited exemption for school buses from sister states, prohibits operating a school bus in Illinois after December 31, 1997 unless the bus is equipped with a crossing control arm meeting standards promulgated by the Department of Transportation. Provides that if a school bus is manufactured after December 31, 1997 the crossing control arm must be installed by the original bus body manufacturer. Provides that if the crossing control arms are installed on buses manufactured before December 31, 1997 on school buses owned, purchased, or leased by a school district, the district, in order to qualify for matching grant reimbursement, must purchase the crossing control arms from the Department of Central Management Services. Provides for the Department of Central Management Services to purchase or contract for the purchase of crossing control arms and to sell them to school districts at the competitively bid State contract price. Adds provisions relative to the procedure for obtaining reimbursement. Effective July 1, 1997. SENATE AMENDMENT NO. 1. Deletes reference to: 20 ILCS 405/35.10 new 105 ILCS 5/29-18 new Deletes all changes proposed by the bill as introduced to the Civil Administrative Code (relative to DCMS purchasing crossing con- trol arms and reselling them to school districts) and to the School Code (relative to establishing a matching grant reimbursement program for costs incurred by the school districts as a result of installing crossing control arms on school buses). Changes to 12/31/99 (from 12/31/97) the date after which operation of a Type I or Type II school bus (even if manufactured before 12/31/97) may not be operated or used as a school bus in Illinois. FISCAL NOTE (State Bd. of Ed.) Commercial cost to equip all buses would be $5.4 M to $21.6 M (at $300 to $1200 per unit), minus the cost for dists. that will have received funds in FY97 and FY98. All responsibility would be on the LEAs for payment of the safety devices. STATE MANDATES FISCAL NOTE (State Board of Education) No change from SBE fiscal note. HOUSE AMENDMENT NO. 1. Corrects a reference to a Section number of the Illinois Compiled Statutes. Replaces a provision stating that a crossing control arm shall be designed to require children crossing in front of a school bus to walk a sufficient distance from the front of the bus to be clearly observed by the bus driver with a provision stating that the crossing control arm shall be designed as prescribed by rules promulgated by the State Board of Education. FISCAL NOTE, REVISED (State Bd. of Ed.) Retrofitting would cost approximately $4.5 M (at $150 to $1200 commercial cost per unit). Local schools can be reimbursed for these costs under the transportation reimbursement program. STATE MANDATES FISCAL NOTE, REVISED (State Bd. of Ed.) No change from SBE fiscal note, revised. Last action on Bill: PUBLIC ACT.............................. 90-0108 Last action date: 97-07-14 Location: Senate Amendments to Bill: AMENDMENTS ADOPTED: HOUSE - 1 SENATE - 1 END OF INQUIRY Full Text Bill Status