AB382: Bill Text

2003 - 2004 LEGISLATURE

2003 Assembly BILL 382

June 5, 2003 - Introduced by Representatives Stone, Sinicki, Berceau, Gronemus, Gunderson, Gundrum, Hines, Jensen, Krawczyk, McCormick, Morris, Ott, Petrowski, Taylor, Townsend and Van Roy, cosponsored by Senators Darling, Roessler, Carpenter and Stepp. Referred to Committee on Transportation.

AB382,1,3 An Act to amend 110.06 (title), 121.52 (1) (a), 121.52 (2) (c) and 343.12 (1); and to create 110.06 (2m) and 343.12 (4) (a) 4. of the statutes; relating to: issuing and displaying a school bus operator identification card.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, a person must obtain, in addition to a valid motor vehicle operator's license, special authorization from the Department of Transportation (DOT) to operate a school bus. Depending on the number of violations within a three-year period, a person who operates a school bus without special authorization may be fined not less than $200 nor more than $2,000 and imprisoned for not less than five days nor more than six months.

Also under current law, any photograph taken by DOT for an operator's license or an identification card is kept confidential, except for limited access to certain law enforcement officers for law enforcement purposes.

Under this bill, an owner of a school bus is required to issue an identification card, designed by DOT, that contains the name and photograph of the person who operates the school bus. The bill requires the operator to display prominently the identification card whenever he or she operates a school bus. Failure to do so will result in the same penalties as operating a school bus without proper authorization from DOT.

For further information see the state 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:

AB382, s. 1 Section 1. 110.06 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB382,2,3 110.06 (title) Rules; identification cards; school bus presale inspection; penalties.

AB382, s. 2 Section 2. 110.06 (2m) of the statutes is created to read:

AB382,2,9 110.06 (2m) Any person who owns a motor vehicle that is used as a school bus shall issue an identification card to the operator of the motor vehicle. The identification card shall contain the name and a photograph of the operator. The department shall, by rule, prescribe the form and additional content of the identification card.

AB382, s. 3 Section 3. 121.52 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB382,2,14 121.52 (1) (a) Rules governing the design, construction, inspection, and operation of school buses and the identification of school bus operators adopted by the secretary of transportation under s. 110.06 (2) and (2m) shall by reference be made part of any contract for the transportation of pupils.

AB382, s. 4 Section 4. 121.52 (2) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB382,2,19 121.52 (2) (c) The form of contract shall be prescribed by the department and shall provide that all parties to the contract are subject at all times to rules adopted by the secretary of transportation under s. 110.06 (2) and (2m) and by the department.

AB382, s. 5 Section 5. 343.12 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB382,3,5 343.12 (1) (a) No person shall may operate a school bus without having first applied for and received authorization from the department in the form of a school bus endorsement to the person's valid operator's license and, notwithstanding s. 343.237, without prominently displaying his or her identification card issued under s. 110.06 (2m).

AB382, s. 6 Section 6. 343.12 (4) (a) 4. of the statutes is created to read:

AB382,3,8 343.12 (4) (a) 4. Notwithstanding s. 343.237, the person prominently displays an identification card issued under s. 110.06 (2m).

AB382, s. 7 Section 7. Effective dates. This act takes effect on the day after publication, except as follows:

AB382,3,12 (1) The treatment of section 343.12 (1) and (4) (a) 4. of the statutes takes effect on the first day of the 7th month beginning after publication.

AB382,3,13 (End)