N.Y. Education Law § 3650: Comprehensive school bus driver safety training program

§ 3650. Comprehensive school bus driver safety training program. 1.

The commissioner, in consultation with the state comprehensive school

bus driver safety training council and subject to appropriation by the

legislature, shall:

a. Develop a uniform and comprehensive school bus driver safety

training program for school bus drivers transporting students to and

from school by school bus including instruction to such school bus

drivers concerning the latest safety techniques using the latest

instructional materials.

b. Include within the safety training program the development of

curriculum and training materials including a school bus driver safety

training manual.

c. Develop and conduct professional development school bus driver

safety training seminars statewide.

d. Establish and maintain a data base containing data relative to

school bus accidents and fatalities reported within the state.

e. Engage the services of consultants on a contract basis for

rendering professional and tactical assistance.

f. Award and distribute grants, following appropriation by the

legislature which appropriation may include funds of the school bus

motorist education fund established pursuant to section eighty-nine-j of

the state finance law, for the study of issues involving the illegal

passing of stopped school buses, the development of proposals to reduce

the number of motorists passing school buses in violation of section

eleven hundred seventy-four of the vehicle and traffic law, and to

promote school bus safety.

2. The commissioner, in consultation with the justice center for the

protection of people with special needs, shall promulgate rules and

regulations requiring every school bus driver operating a school bus

which has or will have one or more students with a disability as

passengers to receive training and instruction relating to the

understanding of, and attention to, the special needs of such students.

Such training and instruction may be included with the training and

instruction required pursuant to paragraph a of subdivision one of this

section and shall be provided at least once per year or more frequently

as determined by the commissioner in consultation with the state

comprehensive school bus driver safety training council. For the

purposes of this subdivision, the term "student with a disability" shall

have the same meaning as such term is defined in subdivision one of

section forty-four hundred one of this chapter. Any person employed as a

school bus driver on January first, two thousand nine who is subject to

the provisions of this subdivision shall comply with the requirements of

this subdivision by July first, two thousand nine. Any school bus driver

hired after January first, two thousand nine who is subject to the

requirements of this subdivision shall complete such training and

instruction prior to assuming his or her duties.