Student transport. vehicles

AN ACT Relating to reimbursement payments for replacing student 1
transportation vehicles; and amending RCW 28A.160.200 and 2
28A.160.170. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
Sec. 1. RCW 28A.160.200 and 1995 1st sp.s. c 10 s 2 are each 5
amended to read as follows: 6
(1)(a) The superintendent shall develop a reimbursement schedule 7
to pay districts for the cost of student transportation vehicles 8
((purchased after September 1, 1982 )). While it is the responsibility 9
of each district to select and pay for each student transportation 10
vehicle purchased by the district, each district shall be paid a sum 11
based on the category of vehicle, anticipated lifetime of vehicles of 12
this category, and state reimbursement rate for the category plus 13
inflation as recognized by the reimbursement schedule established in 14
this section as set by the superintendent. 15
(b) Categories and reimbursement rates of vehicles shall be those 16
established under RCW 28A.160.195. The accumulated value of the 17
payments and the potential investment return thereon shall be 18
designed to be equal to the replacement cost of the vehicle less its 19
salvage value at the end of its anticipated lifetime. The 20
superintendent shall revise at least annually the reimbursement 21
S-1801.1
SENATE BILL 5780
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Senator Gildon
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payments based on the current and anticipated future cost of 1
comparable categories of transportation equipment. 2
(c) If a school district is awarded a local, state, or federal 3
grant or rebate to replace a student transportation vehicle, the 4
superintendent shall reduce the district's reimbursement payments to 5
ensure that duplicative funding is not provided to replace the same 6
vehicle. A reduction made pursuant to this subsection (1)(c) may not 7
exceed the total replacement cost of the vehicle being replaced, less 8
its salvage value.9
(d) Reimbursements to school districts for approved 10
transportation equipment shall be placed in a separate transportation 11
vehicle fund established for each school district under RCW 12
28A.160.130. However, educational service districts providing student 13
transportation services pursuant to RCW 28A.310.180(4) and receiving 14
moneys generated pursuant to this section shall establish and 15
maintain a separate transportation vehicle account in the educational 16
service district's general expense fund for the purposes and subject 17
to the conditions under RCW 28A.160.130 and 28A.320.300.18
(2) To the extent possible, districts shall operate vehicles 19
acquired under this section not less than the number of years or 20
useful lifetime now, or hereafter, assigned to the category of 21
vehicles by the superintendent. School districts shall properly 22
maintain the transportation equipment acquired under the provisions 23
of this section, in accordance with rules established by the office 24
of the superintendent of public instruction. If a district fails to 25
follow generally accepted standards of maintenance and operation, the 26
superintendent of public instruction shall penalize the district by 27
deducting from future reimbursements under this section an amount 28
equal to the original cost of the vehicle multiplied by the fraction 29
of the useful lifetime or miles the vehicle failed to operate.30
(3) The superintendent shall annually develop a depreciation 31
schedule to recognize the cost of depreciation to districts 32
contracting with private carriers for student transportation. 33
Payments on this schedule shall be a straight line depreciation based 34
on the original cost of the appropriate category of vehicle.35
Sec. 2. RCW 28A.160.170 and 2021 c 234 s 3 are each amended to 36
read as follows: 37
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(1) Each district shall submit three times each year to the 1
superintendent of public instruction during October, February, and 2
May of each year a report containing the following:3
(((1)))(a)(i) The number of eligible students transported to and 4
from school as provided for in RCW 28A.160.150, along with 5
identification of stop locations and school locations, and (((b))) 6
(ii) the number of miles driven for pupil transportation services as 7
authorized in RCW 28A.160.150 the previous school year; ((and8
(2))) (b) Other operational data and descriptions as required by 9
the superintendent to determine allocation requirements for each 10
district. The superintendent shall require that districts separate 11
the costs of operating the program for the transportation of eligible 12
students to and from school as defined by RCW 28A.160.160(3), non-to-13
and-from-school pupil transportation costs, and costs to provide 14
expanded services under RCW 28A.160.185(1) in the annual financial 15
statement. The cost, quantity, and type of all fuel purchased by 16
school districts for use in to-and-from-school transportation shall 17
be included in the annual financial statement; and18
(c) The amount of any local, state, or federal grant or rebate 19
awarded to the school district to replace a student transportation 20
vehicle. 21
(2) Each district shall submit the information required in this 22
section on a timely basis as a condition of the continuing receipt of 23
school transportation moneys. 24
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