HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 115

(By Delegates Pasdon, Duke, Ambler, Campbell, Cooper, Ellington, Espinosa, Evans, Hamrick, Hornbuckle, Kelly, Kurcaba, Moye, Perdue, Perry, Pushkin, Reynolds, Rodighiero, Rohrbach, Romine, Rowan, Statler, Trecost, Upson and Wagner)

Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to conduct a study on state funding for school bus replacement.

            Whereas, The Public School Support Plan allocates funding to county boards of education that may be used only for the replacement of school buses and the amount of this funding is determined by the replacement value of the bus fleet based on a twelve year replacement cycle and individual buses driven 180,000 miles regardless of model year; and

            Whereas, Objective information on the serviceable life of school buses is needed to appropriately consider proposals for changing this cycle and mileage to ensure the safe transport of students and adequate funding for bus replacement; and

            Whereas, Differences in terrain, weather conditions, population density and other conditions may affect the frequency of needed bus replacement differently among the county boards; and

            Whereas, Alternative methods for providing state funding to county boards for school bus replacement may be considered; therefore, be it

            Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

            That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby requested to conduct a study on state funding for school bus replacement; and be it

            Further Resolved, That the said Joint Committee on Government and Finance is requested to report to the regular session of the Legislature, 2016, on its findings, conclusions and recommendations, together with drafts of any legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations; and be it

            Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this study, to prepare a report and draft necessary legislation are requested to be paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance.