SCHOOLS/BUS OPERATORS: Grants certain powers, duties, and responsibilities relative to a school bus operator's probationary term of employment to the superintendent instead of the school board

HLS 26RS-1018 ORIGINAL
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 365
BY REPRESENTATIVE CHASSION
SCHOOLS/BUS OPERATORS: Grants certain powers, duties, and responsibilities relative
to a school bus operator's probationary term of employment to the superintendent
instead of the school board
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 17:492(A)(introductory paragraph), relative to school bus
3 operators; to provide for the probationary term of employment for school bus
4 operators; to provide for the authority of the superintendent relative to their
5 discipline, discharge, or dismissal; to require the superintendent to dismiss or
6 discharge a school bus operator under certain circumstances; and to provide for
7 related matters.
8 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1. R.S. 17:492(A)(introductory paragraph) is hereby amended and reenacted
10 to read as follows:
11 §492. Probation and tenure of bus operators
12 A. Each school bus operator shall serve a probationary term of three years
13 reckoned from the date of his first employment in the city, parish, or other local
14 public school system in which the operator is serving his probation. During the
15 probationary term, the city, parish, or other local public school board superintendent
16 may discipline, dismiss, or discharge any operator upon the written recommendation
17 of the local superintendent of schools accompanied by valid and shall provide to the
18 operator in writing the reasons therefor. A school board superintendent shall
19 immediately dismiss or discharge an operator who is convicted of or has pled nolo
Page 1 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-1018 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 365
1 contendere to a violation of a parish or municipal ordinance that prohibits operating
2 a vehicle while intoxicated or any of the following offenses relative to operating a
3 vehicle while intoxicated, regardless of whether the violation occurred while the
4 operator was performing an official duty or responsibility as a school bus operator
5 at the time of the offense:
6 * * *
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 365 Original 2026 Regular Session Chassion
Abstract: Grants certain powers, duties, and responsibilities relative to a school bus
operator's probationary term of employment to the superintendent instead of the
school board.
Present law provides that a school bus operator shall serve a probationary term of three years
reckoned from the date of his first employment. Proposed law retains present law.
Present law provides that during the probationary term, the school board may dismiss or
discharge an operator upon the written recommendation of the superintendent accompanied
by valid reasons therefor. Proposed law instead allows the superintendent to discipline,
dismiss, or discharge the operator and requires the superintendent to provide the reasons in
writing to the operator.
Present law requires the school board to immediately dismiss or discharge an operator who
is convicted of or has pled nolo contendere to certain offenses. Proposed law instead applies
this requirement to the superintendent.
(Amends R.S. 17:492(A)(intro. para.))
Page 2 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.