§ 3650 — Comprehensive school bus driver safety training program

§ 3650. Comprehensive school bus driver safety training program. 1.\nThe commissioner, in consultation with the state comprehensive school\nbus driver safety training council and subject to appropriation by the\nlegislature, shall:\n a. Develop a uniform and comprehensive school bus driver safety\ntraining program for school bus drivers transporting students to and\nfrom school by school bus including instruction to such school bus\ndrivers concerning the latest safety techniques using the latest\ninstructional materials.\n b. Include within the safety training program the development of\ncurriculum and training materials including a school bus driver safety\ntraining manual.\n c. Develop and conduct professional development school bus driver\nsafety training seminars statewide.\n d. Establish and maintain a data base containing data relative to\nschool bus accidents and fatalities reported within the state.\n e. Engage the services of consultants on a contract basis for\nrendering professional and tactical assistance.\n f. Award and distribute grants, following appropriation by the\nlegislature which appropriation may include funds of the school bus\nmotorist education fund established pursuant to section eighty-nine-j of\nthe state finance law, for the study of issues involving the illegal\npassing of stopped school buses, the development of proposals to reduce\nthe number of motorists passing school buses in violation of section\neleven hundred seventy-four of the vehicle and traffic law, and to\npromote school bus safety.\n 2. The commissioner, in consultation with the justice center for the\nprotection of people with special needs, shall promulgate rules and\nregulations requiring every school bus driver operating a school bus\nwhich has or will have one or more students with a disability as\npassengers to receive training and instruction relating to the\nunderstanding of, and attention to, the special needs of such students.\nSuch training and instruction may be included with the training and\ninstruction required pursuant to paragraph a of subdivision one of this\nsection and shall be provided at least once per year or more frequently\nas determined by the commissioner in consultation with the state\ncomprehensive school bus driver safety training council. For the\npurposes of this subdivision, the term "student with a disability" shall\nhave the same meaning as such term is defined in subdivision one of\nsection forty-four hundred one of this chapter. Any person employed as a\nschool bus driver on January first, two thousand nine who is subject to\nthe provisions of this subdivision shall comply with the requirements of\nthis subdivision by July first, two thousand nine. Any school bus driver\nhired after January first, two thousand nine who is subject to the\nrequirements of this subdivision shall complete such training and\ninstruction prior to assuming his or her duties.\n