House Bill 426

Chair's Name: Vance Smith

Committee:   Transportation          

House Sponsor: Sheila Jones

HB 426 requires each local school district to review its established bus routes and submit to the DOT a list identifying each rail crossing on the routes that does not have active warning devices (control gates, lights, warning bells).  The school districts should exercise best efforts to minimize the number of bus routes that cross rail crossings without active warning devices. The DOT should take the submitted information under advisement as a factor in upgrading railroad crossings.

This bill passed  the House under the Open Rule.

Chairman Smith’s opinion of the legislation:

There are many railroad crossings on school bus routes that do not have active warning devices (lights, bells, and whistles).  This legislation would have school systems survey such crossings on various routes in their districts and report those lacking the active devices to the Georgia Department of Transportation. This bill will help ensure the safety of the children on school buses in the various school systems around this state.

Further Action

The Senate version changes the effective date of the Act from July 1, 2008 to January 1, 2009. The House agreed to the Senate substitute.