Date: 03/19/2009

Final
BILL SUMMARY for SB09-029

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Moved to postpone Senate Bill 09-029 indefinitely.
Moved to refer Senate Bill 09-029 to the Committee		PASS
TIE



02:20 PM -- Senate Bill 09-029

Representative McFadyen, sponsor of Senate Bill 09-029, concerning seat belts on school buses, presented the bill to the committee. She shared handouts with the committee (Attachment C).

090319AttachC.pdf

02:27 PM

The following people testified on the bill:


02:28 PM -- Scott Benefield, representing himself, testified against the bill. He shared his experience with school transportation and the estimated additional costs to school districts.


02:34 PM

Representative Benefield asked Mr. Benefield about the budget cuts Jefferson County is making right now. Representative Middleton asked about the rule making process underway on school transportation. Representative Peniston asked about the need for adult supervision of seat belt use. Mr. Benefield replied that it is difficult to monitor compliance as a school bus driver. Representative Schafer asked Mr. Benefield to discuss the status of driver education.


02:40 PM -- Bob Smith, representing Jefferson County Schools, testified against the bill and provided information on federal regulations on school transportation. He compared safety statistics on traveling by bus versus traveling by car to school. He addressed possible consequences of the bill.


02:43 PM -- Bill McCreary, representing Thompson School District, testified against the bill. He stated that research has shown school buses are one of the safest methods of transportation in the United States.


02:48 PM -- Marc Horner, representing Jefferson County Schools, testified against the bill. He shared information from a Congressional Research Service Report on safety belts on school buses.


02:53 PM -- Steve Herzog, representing Douglas County, testified against the bill.


02:54 PM -- Tom Turrell, representing Byers School District 32J, testified against the bill. He raised concerns about liability.


02:59 PM -- David Van Sant, representing Strasburg Schools, testified against the bill.


03:01 PM -- Bruce Caughey, representing the Colorado Association of School Executives (CASE), testified against the bill.


03:03 PM -- Revetta Duran and Cynthia Heintz, representing themselves, testified against the bill and shared their experience as school bus drivers and driver trainers.


03:07 PM -- William Crites, representing Keenesburg School District, testified against the bill.


03:11 PM -- Jane Urschel and Tom Rau, representing the Colorado Association of School Boards (CASB), testified against the bill.


03:17 PM -- Dodie Hunken, representing Bennett Schools, and Rob Schmedake, representing Aurora Public Schools, testified against the bill.


03:23 PM -- Selena Silva, representing the Children's Hospital, testified in support of the bill.


03:25 PM -- Kathryn Emery, representing the Children's Hospital, testified in support of the bill.


03:29 PM -- Ted Textor, representing the Teamsters Union, testified in support of the bill.


03:34 PM -- Dean Medecker, representing the Teamsters Union, testified in support of the bill.


03:36 PM -- Michele Crawford, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.


03:41 PM -- Rose Swenby, representing herself and her son Kevin, who was killed in a school bus accident, testified in support of the bill.


03:50 PM -- Peg Ackerman, representing the County Sheriffs of Colorado, testified in support of the bill.


03:51 PM -- Fran Coleman, representing the Brain Injury Association of Colorado, testified in support of the bill.


03:54 PM

Representative McFadyen concluded her remarks on the bill, and asked for the committee's support. The committee members shared their views on the bill.


04:06 PM

The committee took a brief recess.


BILL:SB09-029
TIME: 04:06:33 PM
MOVED:Priola
MOTION:Moved to refer Senate Bill 09-029 to the Committee of the Whole. Representative Murray offered a substitute motion to postpone the bill indefinitely. See vote sheet below.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Baumgardner
Benefield
Massey
Middleton
Murray
Peniston
Priola
Scanlan
Schafer S.
Summers
Todd
Solano
Merrifield
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: TIE


BILL:SB09-029
TIME: 04:07:28 PM
MOVED:Murray
MOTION:Moved to postpone Senate Bill 09-029 indefinitely. The motion passed on a 13-0-0 vote.
SECONDED:Baumgardner
VOTE
Baumgardner
Yes
Benefield
Yes
Massey
Yes
Middleton
Yes
Murray
Yes
Peniston
Yes
Priola
Yes
Scanlan
Yes
Schafer S.
Yes
Summers
Yes
Todd
Yes
Solano
Yes
Merrifield
Yes
Final YES: 13 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS




04:08 PM

The committee took a brief recess.