SB-0979, As Passed Senate, April 22, 2004                                   

SUBSTITUTE FOR

SENATE BILL NO. 979

                                                                             A bill to amend 1990 PA 187, entitled                                             

"The pupil transportation act,"                                             

by amending section 53 (MCL 257.1853), as amended by 2002 PA                

647.                                                                        

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

1       Sec. 53.  (1) All regular drivers and substitute drivers of                 

2   school buses transporting passengers and pupil transportation               

3   vehicles used for the regularly scheduled transportation of                 

4   passengers to and from home shall, at a minimum, meet the                   

5   following qualifications:                                                   

6       (a) The requirements of sections 49 and 51.                                 

7       (b) For a school bus or pupil transportation vehicle                        

8   operating in intrastate transportation, the annual physical                 

9   requirements for school bus and pupil transportation vehicle                

10  drivers as authorized by the superintendent of public                       

1   instruction.  In meeting these physical requirements, the driver            

2   shall be examined by a licensed physician,  or  physicians'                 

3   assistant, or certified nurse practitioner and shall present the            

4   physician's medical certificate to the employer.                          

5       (c) An employer who has reason to believe that a driver is                  

6   not physically qualified to drive may require a physical                    

7   examination for that driver in accordance with subdivision (b) at           

8   more frequent intervals.  If an employer requests a physical                

9   examination under this subdivision, the employer shall indicate             

10  in writing what physical impairment covered under the                       

11  requirements of subdivision (b) the driver is to be examined for            

12  and shall only be entitled to that portion of the examination               

13  results  which that pertain to that impairment.  An examination            

14  requested by the employer under this subdivision shall be paid              

15  for by the employer.                                                        

16      (d) A copy of the  physician's medical certificate for a                   

17  driver shall be carried by that driver while he or she is                   

18  operating a school bus or pupil transportation vehicle.                     

19      (2) A record of each employed school bus or pupil                           

20  transportation vehicle driver, including a copy of his or her               

21  physician's medical certificate, department of education                  

22  certification, driver license, certificate of road test                     

23  application for employment, and any other information that                  

24  relates to driver qualification or ability to safely drive a                

25  school bus or pupil transportation vehicle, shall be maintained             

26  in the employer's administrative office.                                    

27      (3) A school shall submit transportation safety related                     

1   documents, such as driver qualification records, and vehicle                

2   maintenance records upon request for inspection and copying to              

3   motor carrier officers or vehicle inspectors of the department of           

4   state police.                                                               

5       (4) Upon receipt of an application from a person for the                    

6   position of school bus driver or pupil transportation vehicle               

7   driver, a school shall request from the department of state                 

8   police a background check to determine whether the person was               

9   convicted of any of the following offenses:                                 

10      (a) Criminal sexual conduct in any degree.                                  

11      (b) Assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct.                  

12      (c) An attempt to commit criminal sexual conduct in any                     

13  degree.                                                                     

14      (d) Felonious assault on a child, child abuse, or cruelty,                  

15  torture, or indecent exposure involving a child.                            

16      (e) A violation of section 145c of the Michigan penal code,                 

17  1931 PA 328, MCL 750.145c.                                                  

18      (5) A person shall not smoke on a school bus or pupil                       

19  transportation vehicle.                                                     

20      (6) A person shall not possess or consume alcoholic liquor or               

21  a controlled substance on a school bus or pupil transportation              

22  vehicle.                                                                    

23  (7) This section does not require new or additional third                   

24  party reimbursement or worker's compensation benefits for                   

25  services rendered.