H. B. 2487


(By Delegate McGraw)
[Introduced January 14, 1998; referred to the
Committee on Roads and Transportation.]




A BILL to amend and reenact section nine, article twelve, chapter seventeen-c of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, relating to school bus driver complaints; and changing the process for presentment of school bus driver complaints.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section nine, article twelve, chapter seventeen-c of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 12. SPECIAL STOPS REQUIRED.

§17C-12-9. School bus drivers to present complaint directly to
county transportation supervisor.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this code to the contrary, a person authorized by law to operate a school bus, as that term is defined in section seven, article one, chapter seventeen-c may of this code, shall submit a complaint directly to a magistrate without first presenting the complaint to the prosecuting attorney or other law-enforcement agency the county transportation supervisor if the complaint is based upon a violation of subsection (a), section seven, article twelve, chapter seventeen-c of this code. The transportation supervisor shall submit a complaint directly to a magistrate without first presenting it to the prosecuting attorney or other law- enforcement agency if the complaint is based upon a violation of subsection (a), section seven, article twelve, chapter seventeen- c of this code.
The complaint shall be in the form of a written statement of the essential facts constituting the offense charged. The complaint shall be presented to and sworn before a magistrate in the county where the offense is alleged to have occurred.
If it appears from the complaint, or from an affidavit or affidavits filed with the complaint, that there is probable cause to believe that an offense has been committed and that the defendant committed it, a warrant for the arrest of the defendant shall be issued to any officer authorized by law to arrest persons charged with offenses against the state law-enforcement officer.
The school bus driver shall appear as a witness with the county transportation supervisor before the magistrate.



NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require school bus drivers to present complaints to county transportation supervisors rather than magistrates.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.