AB841: Bill Text

LRB-2955/2

MJL:mfd:lp

1997 - 1998 LEGISLATURE

1997 Assembly BILL 841

March 2, 1998 - Introduced by Representative Goetsch, by request of Dale and Pam Dyer. Referred to Committee on Education.

AB841,1,4 An Act to repeal 121.54 (7) (b) 2.; to renumber and amend 121.54 (7) (b) 1.; to amend 121.54 (7) (a) (intro.), 121.54 (7) (a) 2. and 121.58 (2) (a); and to create 121.54 (7) (am) of the statutes; relating to: transportation of public school pupils to extracurricular activities.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Current law generally requires a school board to provide transportation for pupils who reside in the school district 2 or more miles away from the nearest public school they are required to attend. A school district receives state aid for providing this required transportation. A school board may provide transportation for pupils attending private or public schools and their parents or guardians, authorized chaperones and school employes in connection with extracurricular activities. If the school board chooses to provide such transportation, then the school board may charge the persons required to be transported an amount sufficient to reimburse it for the cost of providing the transportation.

This bill requires a school board to provide transportation for pupils attending public schools and their parents or guardians, authorized chaperones and school employes in connection with extracurricular activities. The bill also prohibits a school board from charging for this transportation and provides for the payment of state aid to the transporting school district at the same rates as those for required transportation under current law.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB841, s. 1 Section 1. 121.54 (7) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB841,2,8 121.54 (7) (a) (intro.) A school board may shall provide transportation for pupils attending public or private schools, their parents or guardians, authorized chaperones, school officers, faculty and employes and school doctors, dentists and nurses in connection with any extracurricular activity of the public or private school, conducted during the school year, such as a school athletic contest, school game, after school practice, late activity, school outing or school field trip or any other similar trip when:

AB841, s. 2 Section 2. 121.54 (7) (a) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB841,2,12 121.54 (7) (a) 2. A school operated by the school district or the private school The school has an actual interest in the safety and welfare of the children transported to the activity;

AB841, s. 3 Section 3. 121.54 (7) (am) of the statutes is created to read:

AB841,2,18 121.54 (7) (am) A school board may provide transportation for pupils attending private schools, their parents or guardians, authorized chaperones, school officers, faculty and employes and school doctors, dentists and nurses in connection with any extracurricular activity under par. (a) if all the conditions under par. (a) 1., 2. and 4. are met.

AB841, s. 4 Section 4. 121.54 (7) (b) 1. of the statutes is renumbered 121.54 (7) (b) and is amended to read:

AB841,3,8 121.54 (7) (b) If transportation is provided to pupils and other persons in connection with any extracurricular activity of a public school under par. (a), the school board may make a charge for such transportation, to be paid by the persons transported, sufficient to reimburse it for the cost of providing the transportation. If transportation is provided to pupils and other persons in connection with any extracurricular activity of a private school under par. (a) (am), the school board shall make a charge for such transportation, to be paid by the private school or the persons transported, sufficient to reimburse it for the cost of providing the transportation.

AB841, s. 5 Section 5. 121.54 (7) (b) 2. of the statutes is repealed.

AB841, s. 6 Section 6. 121.58 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB841,4,4 121.58 (2) (a) A school district which provides transportation to and from a school under ss. 121.54 (1) to (3), (5) and, (6) and (7) (a) and 121.57 shall be paid state aid for such transportation at the rate of $30 per school year per pupil so transported whose residence is at least 2 miles and not more than 5 miles from the school attended, $45 per school year per pupil so transported whose residence is at least 5 miles and not more than 8 miles from the school attended, $60 per school year per pupil so transported whose residence is at least 8 miles and not more than 12 miles from the school attended, $68 per school year per pupil so transported whose residence is at least 12 miles and not more than 15 miles from the school attended, $75 per school year per pupil so transported whose residence is at least 15 miles and not more than 18 miles from the school attended, and $85 per school year per pupil so transported whose residence is more than 18 miles from the school attended. Such state aid shall be reduced proportionately in the case of a pupil transported for less than a full school year because of nonenrollment. State aid for transportation shall not exceed the actual cost thereof. No state aid of any kind may be paid to a school district which charges the pupil transported or his or her parent or guardian any part of the cost of transportation provided under ss. 121.54 (1) to (3), (5) and, (6) and (7) (a) and 121.57 or which wilfully or negligently fails to transport all pupils for whom transportation is required under s. 121.54.

AB841, s. 7 Section 7. Initial applicability.

AB841,4,7 (1) This act first applies to the transportation of pupils and the distribution of state aid in the fiscal year beginning after the effective date of this subsection.

AB841,4,8 (End)