BILL NUMBER: S6221
SPONSOR: MAYER
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to building aid for
incremental zero-emission school bus infrastructure costs
 
PURPOSE:
To allow school districts to access building aid for certain building
costs associated with the transition to zero-emission buses.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends subdivision 6-i of section 3602 of the education law
and adds a new subdivision 6-j to allow districts to receive building
aid for incremental zero-emission school bus infrastructure costs and
incremental customer-owned make-ready costs. Subdivision 6-j defines
"incremental zero-emission school bus storage costs" and "incremental
customer-owned make ready costs," and authorizes the commissioner to
apportion additional building aid to school districts for storage and
utility costs associated with the transition to electric school buses
beginning in the base year until the 2034-2035 school year. These
expenses would be reimbursed at cost.
Section 2 provides the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
New York State law requires all school districts to transition to an all
zero-emission electric school bus fleet by 2035. The shift to zero emis-
sion buses will provide significant benefits to our students, school
communities and state as a whole. Replacing diesel and gas buses with
electric buses reduces exposure of children to pollutants which can
increase risk of asthma and otherwise harm children's health and devel-
opment. And the states'law represents an important piece of our commit-
ment to transitioning to a clean energy economy and drastically reducing
our carbon emissions.
While the benefits are myriad, school districts are navigating a whole
host of new costs and logistical challenges as they plan for and begin
to purchase or lease electric buses. These costs included necessary
updates to school bus storage facilities.
Storing ZEBs is essential to extend their range in the colder climates
of New York, as well as to minimize the length of Charging times for
school transportation. As districts prepare for the transition, they
need to upgrade their garages and power infrastructure, including:
installing higher power lifts due to increased vehicle weights, modify-
ing their garage to allow for longer and taller ZEBs, improving elec-
trical capacity, conductors, trenching, panels, and installing equipment
for advanced fire suppression systems. Currently, districts cannot
receive either building or transportation aid for these costs.
This legislation would allow districts to access building aid for
ZEB-related storage and utility costs incurred through the 2034-35
school year. Districts would be eligible to receive aid totaling the
cost of the actual approved expenditures.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

Statutes affected:
S6221: 3602 education law, 3602(6-i) education law