This bill amends Section 22-8-27 of the New Mexico Statutes to provide school districts with the option to replace traditional school buses with electric or zero-emission alternative fuel buses. The amendment specifies that the Department of Education will support this transition by ensuring that school districts receive funding equivalent to what would be provided for diesel bus replacements, depending on whether they have secured grants or other non-state funding. Additionally, the bill allows school districts to petition for additional buses or to replace buses before the standard twelve-year cycle under certain circumstances.

Furthermore, the bill introduces provisions for the use of electric school buses as electrical energy storage when they are not in use for student transportation. School districts can enter into agreements to utilize these buses for providing grid services or to reduce electrical demand in schools during emergencies. The superintendent of the school district must negotiate these agreements, ensuring compliance with safety requirements and addressing compensation and testing for the buses' bidirectional charging capabilities.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 22-8-27