AB 711

Transportation of pupils and insurance coverage

Under current law, every school board must require that a certificate of

insurance is filed with the school board and the Department of Transportation (DOT)

showing that an insurance policy has been procured and is in effect which covers the

owner and operator of a school bus and the school board or the school board must

procure an insurance policy and file the certificate with DOT. DOT may not issue

registration plates for a school bus unless the certificate is on file with DOT. This

insurance policy may not be canceled or terminated prior to its expiration unless

notice of cancellation or termination is filed by the insurer with DOT and the school

board at least ten days prior to the date of cancellation or termination. DOT must

then revoke the registration of any school bus on which the policy has been canceled

or terminated.

Also under current law, a pupil who resides within the city of Milwaukee or in

certain school districts (currently, only the Racine Unified School District) may,

under certain conditions, attend a private school participating in a parental choice

program (PCP) at state expense.

Under the bill, the same requirements that apply to a school board also apply

to the governing body of a charter school and the governing body of a private school.

The bill requires that the insurance policy procured by a school board, the governing

body of a charter school, or the operator of a private school be in effect for the entire

school year. With respect to a charter school or private school, the bill requires an

insurer to provide ten days' notice to the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) if

it cancels or terminates an insurance policy covering a school bus prior to the policy's

expiration. The bill requires an insurer who provides this insurance coverage to a

private school participating in a PCP to notify DPI of any change made to the policy.

The bill also requires a private school participating in a PCP to immediately notify

DPI that the school has received a notice of cancellation or termination from the

insurer.

Under current law, a school board or the governing body of a private school may

provide pupil transportation services by alternative methods. These alternative

methods consist of a motor vehicle transporting nine or fewer passengers in addition

to the operator, and a motor vehicle transporting ten or more passengers in addition

to the operator when the secretary of transportation determines, at the request of the

school board or governing body, that an emergency exists because no regular

transportation is available. Current law requires, with certain exceptions, that

motor vehicles used for alternative pupil transportation comply with the insurance

requirements applicable to school buses.

The bill requires that a school board and the governing body of a private school

file with DOT a certificate of insurance showing that the insurance policy applicable

to a motor vehicle used as an alternative method of pupil transportation is in effect