H-1286

   Amend House File 395, as passed by the House, as follows:
   1.  By striking everything after the enacting clause and inserting: 
   <Section 1.  Section 321.376, subsections 1 and 3, Code 2025, are amended by striking the subsections and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
   1.  a.  In addition to meeting the qualifications under section 321.375, a driver of a school bus shall hold a commercial driver’s license issued by the department of transportation with a passenger endorsement and a school bus endorsement.
   b.  If required by the school district, a school bus driver shall successfully complete an approved course of instruction for school bus drivers in accordance with subsection 3A.
   c.  A person holding a temporary restricted license issued under chapter 321J shall not operate a school bus.
   3.  A person applying for employment or employed as a school bus driver shall not be required to successfully complete an approved course of instruction for school bus drivers unless the school district for which the person drives a school bus requires successful completion of such course.
   Sec. 2.  Section 321.376, Code 2025, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  3A.  a.  A school district may require successful completion of an approved course of instruction for school bus drivers. An approved course of instruction for school bus drivers includes one or more of the following:
   (1)  A course of instruction for school bus drivers approved by the department of education.
   (2)  Entry-level driver training completed in accordance with section 321.188, subsection 1, paragraph “c”, if such training meets the requirements of 49 C.F.R. pt. 380, Appendix C, and 49 C.F.R. pt. 380, Appendix D.
   (a)  The department of education, in collaboration with the department of transportation, shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A on or before July 1, 2026, establishing requirements for providers of entry-level driver training to comply with this subparagraph.
   (b)  The rules must provide for minimum training content, contact hours, and proficiency standards, and must establish a standard training course duration that ensures each training course provides all entry-level driver training requirements and specified school bus driver training requirements, including but not limited to training necessary for a passenger endorsement and a school bus endorsement.
   (3)  Other training as described in a resolution adopted by the school district, which may include but is not limited to certain portions of a course described in subparagraph (1) or (2).
   b.  If a school district requires successful completion of an approved course of instruction for school bus drivers, a school bus driver shall complete the course before or within the first six months of employment and at least every twenty-four months thereafter.
   c.  If a school bus driver is required to complete an approved course of instruction for school bus drivers under paragraph “a”, subparagraph (1), and fails to provide an employer with a certificate of completion of the approved course, the employer shall report the failure to the department of education and the department shall revoke the driver’s authorization to operate a school bus. The department of education shall send notice of the revocation to both the person whose school bus authorization has been revoked and the employer. A person whose school bus authorization has been revoked under this paragraph shall not be issued another authorization until certification of the completion of an approved course is received by the department of education, or until the person becomes a school bus driver in a school district that does not require successful completion of an approved course of instruction for school bus drivers under paragraph “a”, subparagraph (1), and the person is otherwise in compliance with section 321.375 and this section.
   Sec. ___.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2026.>
   2.  Title page, line 2, by striking <drivers.> and inserting <drivers, and including effective date provisions.>