CHARLESTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – The House of Delegates convened Thursday for a session during which a number of bills passed, including House Bill 2607 which pertains to the transportation of students.
In essence, House Bill 2607 clarifies “that vehicles with a capacity larger than 10 passengers may be used to transport students provided that no more than 10 passengers may be transported at one time.”
The bill, the lead sponsor of whom is Delegate Statler (R-Monongalia, 077), emerged from the House Education Committee on February 17, 2023, with recommendation for passage.
Delegate Ellington (R-Mercer, 038) – a co-sponsor of the legislation – explained the bill during Thursday’s session.
“This bill allows certified professional or service employees to drive County Board owned and insured vehicles provided that not more than 10 passages, including the driver, are being transported at one time,” he said.
“Not more than two of these vehicles may be used for any school sponsored activity. The employee may use the vehicle to transport students to the school sponsored activity, but not between school and the student’s home.”
Discussion on the bill was minimal, though Delegate Espinoza (R-Jefferson, 098) did pose a question regarding the choice to limit the number of passengers at 10.
“What is the rationale for limiting it to ten passengers if, let’s say, you have a bus that accommodates a dozen or fifteen,” the Delegate queried, to which the co-sponsored referenced federal code as the prime component in the decision.
“My understanding is federal code limits it to ten,” Delegate Ellington responded. “The clarification in this bill was because vehicles that were manufactured to hold maybe 12 or 15 passengers were not allowed by [the legislation] we introduced last year.”
When brought to a vote, House Bill 2607 passed nearly unanimously, with only two Delegates voting against the legislation while 95 voted in favor and three were counted absent.
Additional Legislative coverave from LOOTPRESS can be found here.