SECOND REGULAR SESSION

[PERFECTED]

HOUSE BILL NO. 996

92ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES DUSENBERG (Sponsor), MAYER, GOODMAN, HOLAND, SCHLOTTACH, MAY, MOORE, WALLACE, MUNZLINGER, EMERY, SHOEMYER, WILDBERGER, KUESSNER, KRATKY, DETHROW, SALVA, McKENNA, HILGEMANN, WALSH, DOUGHERTY, HENKE, SMITH (14), CRAWFORD AND JONES (Co-sponsors).Read 1^st time January 8, 2004, and copies ordered printed.

                  Read 2^nd time January 12, 2004, and referred to the Committee on Transportation and Motor Vehicles January 29, 2004.

                  Reported from the Committee on Transportation and Motor Vehicles March 9, 2004, with recommendation that the bill Do Pass by Consent.

                  Perfected by Consent March 17, 2004.

STEPHEN S. DAVIS, Chief Clerk

3208L.01P

AN ACT

To repeal section 307.375, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof one new section relating to school bus inspections.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:

            Section A. Section 307.375, RSMo, is repealed and one new section enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as section 307.375, to read as follows:

            307.375. 1. The owner of every bus used to transport children to or from school in addition to any other inspection required by law shall submit the vehicle to an official inspection station, and obtain a certificate of inspection, sticker, seal or other device annually, but the inspection of the vehicle shall not be made more than sixty days prior to operating the vehicle during the school year. The inspection shall, in addition to the inspection of the mechanism and equipment required for all motor vehicles under the provisions of sections 307.350 to 307.390, include an inspection to ascertain that the following items are correctly fitted, adjusted, and in good working condition:

            (1) All mirrors, including crossview, inside, and outside;

            (2) The front and rear warning flashers;

            (3) The stop signal arm;

            (4) The crossing control arm on public school buses required to have them pursuant to section 304.050, RSMo;

            (5) The rear bumper to determine that it is flush with the bus so that hitching of rides cannot occur;

            (6) The exhaust tailpipe shall be flush with or may extend not more than two inches beyond the perimeter of the body or bumper;

            (7) The emergency doors and exits to determine them to be unlocked and easily opened as required;

            (8) The lettering and signing on the front, side and rear of the bus;

            (9) The service door;

            (10) The step treads;

            (11) The aisle mats or aisle runners;

            (12) The emergency equipment which shall include as a minimum, a first aid kit, flares or fuses, and a fire extinguisher;

            (13) The seats, including a determination that they are securely fastened to the floor;

            (14) The emergency door buzzer;

            (15) All hand hold grips;

            (16) The interior glazing of the bus.

            2. In addition to the inspection required by subsection 1 of this section, the Missouri state highway patrol shall conduct an inspection after February first of each school year of all vehicles required to be marked as school buses under section 304.050, RSMo. This inspection shall be conducted by the Missouri highway patrol in cooperation with the department of elementary and secondary education and shall include, as a minimum, items in subsection 1 of this section and the following:

            (1) The driver seat belts;

            (2) The heating and defrosting systems;

            (3) The reflectors;

            (4) The bus steps;

            (5) The aisles;

            (6) The frame.

            3. If, upon inspection, conditions which violate the standards in subsection 2 of this section are found, the owner or operator shall have them corrected in ten days and notify the superintendent of the Missouri state highway patrol or those persons authorized by the superintendent. If the defects or unsafe conditions found constitute an immediate danger, the bus shall not be used until corrections are made and the superintendent of the Missouri state highway patrol or those persons authorized by the superintendent are notified.

            4. The Missouri highway patrol may inspect any school bus at any time and if such inspection reveals a deficiency affecting the safe operation of the bus, the provisions of subsection 3 of this section shall be applicable.