This bill amends the Code of West Virginia to enhance safety standards for school bus transportation, specifically when elementary-aged children are mixed with middle school or high school students on the same bus route. It introduces a new requirement that mandates the presence of a second adult on the bus in such situations to ensure the safety and order of the students. This addition aims to address potential safety concerns that arise from having younger children traveling alongside older students.

In addition to the new safety requirement, the bill reaffirms existing standards regarding the recommended duration of school bus transportation times for various grade levels. It maintains the stipulations that county boards cannot create new bus routes that exceed certain time limits for elementary students without obtaining permission from the state board. Overall, the bill seeks to improve the safety of school transportation for younger students while ensuring compliance with established transportation time standards.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 18-2E-5d