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House File 315 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to approved courses of instruction for school
2bus drivers.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 321.376, subsection 3, Code 2023, is
2amended to read as follows:
33. a. (1) A person applying for employment or employed as
4a school bus driver shall successfully complete a department of
5education approved course of instruction for school bus drivers
6before or within the first six months of employment and.
7(2) The department of education shall accept proof that a
8person successfully completed entry-level driver training in
9accordance with section 321.188, subsection 1, paragraph “c”,
10if such training meets the requirements of 49 C.F.R.pt.380,
11Appendix C, and 49 C.F.R.pt.380, Appendix D, as completion of
12an approved course of instruction for school bus drivers.
13(3) The department of education may adopt rules pursuant
14to chapter 17A to establish requirements for providers of
15entry-level driver training to comply with this paragraph.
16b. A person employed as a school bus driver shall
17successfully complete a department of education approved
18course of instruction for school bus driversat least every
19twenty-four months thereafter.
20c. If an employee fails to provide an employer with a
21certificate of completion of the required school bus driver’s
22course authorized under paragraph “a”, the driver’s employer
23shall report the failure to the department of education and
24the employee’s authorization to operate a school bus shall
25be revoked. The department of education shall send notice
26of the revocation to both the employee and the employer. A
27person whose school bus authorization has been revoked under
28this section shall not be issued another authorization until
29certification of the completion of an approved school bus
30driver’s course in accordance with paragraph “a” is received by
31the department of education.
32EXPLANATION
33The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
34the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
35Under current law, a person applying for employment or
-1-1employed as a school bus driver must successfully complete a
2course of instruction for school bus drivers approved by the
3department of education (DOE). The DOE establishes rules and
4requirements for such instruction courses. The course must be
5completed before or within the first six months of the person’s
6employment and at least every 24 months thereafter.
7Beginning February 7, 2022, the federal motor carrier safety
8administration requires persons seeking a commercial driver’s
9license (CDL) for the first time, persons seeking to upgrade
10certain existing CDLs, and persons seeking to obtain a school
11bus, passenger, or hazardous materials endorsement to complete
12entry-level driver training (ELDT).
13This bill requires DOE to accept proof that a person
14successfully completed ELDT as completion of an approved course
15of instruction for school bus drivers so long as that ELDT
16contains passenger endorsement training curriculum and school
17bus endorsement training curriculum.
18The bill does not change the requirement for a person
19employed as a school bus driver to successfully complete a DOE
20approved course of instruction for school bus drivers at least
21every 24 months.
22The bill makes corresponding and organizational changes to
23Code section 321.276(3).
-2-th/ns
2bus drivers.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 321.376, subsection 3, Code 2023, is
2amended to read as follows:
33. a. (1) A person applying for employment or employed as
4a school bus driver shall successfully complete a department of
5education approved course of instruction for school bus drivers
6before or within the first six months of employment and.
7(2) The department of education shall accept proof that a
8person successfully completed entry-level driver training in
9accordance with section 321.188, subsection 1, paragraph “c”,
10if such training meets the requirements of 49 C.F.R.pt.380,
11Appendix C, and 49 C.F.R.pt.380, Appendix D, as completion of
12an approved course of instruction for school bus drivers.
13(3) The department of education may adopt rules pursuant
14to chapter 17A to establish requirements for providers of
15entry-level driver training to comply with this paragraph.
16b. A person employed as a school bus driver shall
17successfully complete a department of education approved
18course of instruction for school bus driversat least every
19twenty-four months thereafter.
20c. If an employee fails to provide an employer with a
21certificate of completion of the required school bus driver’s
22course authorized under paragraph “a”, the driver’s employer
23shall report the failure to the department of education and
24the employee’s authorization to operate a school bus shall
25be revoked. The department of education shall send notice
26of the revocation to both the employee and the employer. A
27person whose school bus authorization has been revoked under
28this section shall not be issued another authorization until
29certification of the completion of an approved school bus
30driver’s course in accordance with paragraph “a” is received by
31the department of education.
32EXPLANATION
33The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
34the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
35Under current law, a person applying for employment or
-1-1employed as a school bus driver must successfully complete a
2course of instruction for school bus drivers approved by the
3department of education (DOE). The DOE establishes rules and
4requirements for such instruction courses. The course must be
5completed before or within the first six months of the person’s
6employment and at least every 24 months thereafter.
7Beginning February 7, 2022, the federal motor carrier safety
8administration requires persons seeking a commercial driver’s
9license (CDL) for the first time, persons seeking to upgrade
10certain existing CDLs, and persons seeking to obtain a school
11bus, passenger, or hazardous materials endorsement to complete
12entry-level driver training (ELDT).
13This bill requires DOE to accept proof that a person
14successfully completed ELDT as completion of an approved course
15of instruction for school bus drivers so long as that ELDT
16contains passenger endorsement training curriculum and school
17bus endorsement training curriculum.
18The bill does not change the requirement for a person
19employed as a school bus driver to successfully complete a DOE
20approved course of instruction for school bus drivers at least
21every 24 months.
22The bill makes corresponding and organizational changes to
23Code section 321.276(3).
-2-th/ns