S 127 Session 123 (2019-2020) S 0127 General Bill, By Massey A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 59-67-420 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO THE EXTENT OF SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION PROVIDED, TO REVISE THE TRANSPORTATION OBLIGATION THAT THE STATE ASSUMES FROM ONE AND ONE-HALF MILES TO ONE-HALF MILE.
TO AMEND SECTION 59-67-420 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO THE EXTENT OF SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION PROVIDED, TO REVISE THE TRANSPORTATION OBLIGATION THAT THE STATE ASSUMES FROM ONE AND ONE-HALF MILES TO ONE-HALF MILE. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina: SECTION 1. Section 59-67-420 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 59-67-420. (A) The State, acting through the State Board of Education, assumes no obligation to transport any student to or from school who lives within
(B) The State may assume the obligation of transporting students living within (C) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (A), the State shall transport and bear the cost of transporting three-and four-year-old students attending public school programs to their residences at the conclusion of a morning child development session and from their residences to an afternoon child development session. (D) The State shall provide school transportation service as closely and safely as practicable, to the residence of each unescorted student who is eligible to receive state-funded school transportation service and who is enrolled in a full-day four-year-old child development program or kindergarten through the second grade, provided funds are appropriated annually by the General Assembly for this purpose. The State shall provide school transportation service within two-tenths of a mile of each unescorted student's residence who is eligible to receive state-funded school transportation service and who is enrolled in third through fifth grade provided funds are appropriated annually by the General Assembly for this purpose. The special provisions of unescorted students in child development through fifth grade are limited to service documented in the annual route plan. If funds are not appropriated by the General Assembly, then neither the State nor a local school district is required to assume this obligation. Any unescorted stop made pursuant to this subsection is deemed in compliance with any applicable regulation as determined by the State Department of Education. (E) An unescorted student is defined as a student who has no adult or responsible older person available to accompany him to or from the school bus stop for the purpose of providing protection and guidance. Parents or guardians may be considered unavailable for escort if they make application to, meet the unescorted criteria established by, and are granted approval by the school district governing body. The extent and level of service for students will be established and implemented by each individual school district to assure that the most efficient, safe, and timely service possible is provided. To insure equitable distribution of available funds, the State Department of Education must approve the school district criteria associated with the distribution of funds as provided in this subsection. The criteria may consider parents and guardians who are nonambulatory, who are caretakers for a person requiring their undivided attention, or for other similar circumstances. (F) The State shall provide to the local school district the number of school buses required to accommodate all students identified as eligible for transport with state funds under the provisions of Section 59-67-420." SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
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