An Act To Provide Greater Options for Transportation of Public School Students for Cocurricular Activities
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §2301, sub-§1-C is enacted to read:
1-C. Multifunction school activity bus. "Multifunction school activity bus" means a noncommercial motor vehicle that:
A. Is designed to carry 15 or fewer passengers including the driver;
B. Meets all the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards of 49 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 571, as amended, that are applicable to multifunction school activity buses;
C. Meets all provisions of this Title pertaining to school buses, except for section 2302, subsection 1, paragraphs A to E and G and H; section 2304; and section 2308;
D. Is clearly marked with the words "students aboard";
E. Has all emergency exits clearly marked; and
F. Is clearly marked with the school administrative unit or school district name.
Sec. 2. 29-A MRSA §2310, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:
§ 2310. Other permitted uses for buses
A bus may be used for school activities other than conveying students to and from home and school if:
1. Carrying capacity of 40 or more passengers. The bus has a carrying capacity of 40 or more passengers and is operated by a motor carrier holding an operator's permit issued by the Bureau of State Police and is integrally constructed; or
2. Multifunction school activity bus. The bus is a multifunction school activity bus that is operated by a driver with a school bus operator endorsement pursuant to section 2303 that is appropriate for the number of passengers and gross vehicle weight rating. A driver of a multifunction school activity bus must comply with all applicable school bus operator requirements of this Title.
Sec. 3. 29-A MRSA §2452, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read:
1. Permanent revocation. Permanently revoke the school bus operator endorsement of any person convicted of OUI who operated a school or bus, private school activity bus or multifunction school activity bus, as defined in section 2301, during the commission of the offense;
Effective 90 days following adjournment of the 126th Legislature, Second Regular Session, unless otherwise indicated.