HB 710

            
2020 SESSION

20102636D

HOUSE BILL NO. 710


Offered January 8, 2020


Prefiled January 6, 2020

A BILL to amend and reenact � 22.1-177 of the Code of 
 Virginia, relating to public school buses; decals; "In God We Trust."
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Patron-- Rush (By Request)

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Referred to Committee on Education

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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
 
 
1. That � 22.1-177 of the Code of Virginia is amended and 
 reenacted as follows:
 
 
� 22.1-177. Regulations.
 
 
A. The Board may make regulations relating to the 
 construction, design, operation, equipment, and color of public school buses 
 and shall have the authority to issue an order prohibiting the operation on 
 public streets and highways of any public school bus that does not comply with 
 such regulations. Any such order shall be enforced by the Department of State 
 Police.
 
 
B. Local school boards may, notwithstanding any regulation to 
 the contrary, display decals (i) depicting 
 the flag of the United States on the sides and rear of school buses as long as 
 any such decal does not obstruct the name of the 
 school division or the number of the school bus and is no 
 larger than 100 square inches. In addition, local school 
 boards may, notwithstanding any regulation to the contrary, display decals (ii) containing the motto "In God We 
 Trust" on school buses, or (iii) 
 relating to school bus safety on school buses. 
 Local school divisions shall be responsible for the cost of the decals. Such No such 
 decal shall not obstruct the name of the 
 school division or the number of the school bus.
 
 
C. No regulation of the Board shall unreasonably limit the 
 authority of any local school division to purchase and use school buses using 
 compressed natural gas or other alternative fuels or convert its school buses 
 to use compressed natural gas or other alternative fuels.
 
 
D. Any local school board may, notwithstanding any regulation 
 to the contrary, sell or transfer any of its school buses to another school 
 division or purchase a used school bus from another school division or a school 
 bus dealer as long as the school bus (i) conforms to the specifications 
 relating to construction and design effective in the Commonwealth on the date 
 of manufacture; (ii) has a valid Virginia State Police inspection; and (iii) 
 has not reached the end of its useful life according to the school bus 
 replacement schedule utilized by the Department of Education as required by the 
 general appropriation act.