JOINT RESOLUTIONS

FOR the purpose of requesting the Maryland State Board of Education and the State
Superintendent of Schools to study school bus contract school bus driver liability
insurance and out-of-state school bus drivers' licenses.

WHEREAS, The boards of education for the various certain counties carry $ 1 million
insurance per school bus accident; and

WHEREAS, Some counties are not able to purchase liability insurance beyond $1
million because the cost is prohibitive; and

WHEREAS, Insurance coverage of $1 million per bus accident gives contract drivers
undue exposure to lawsuit and does not give enough personal injury protection to the
children riding the buses; and

WHEREAS, In 1986 Congress passed the Federal Commercial Driver's Act, which
limits drivers to only one type of license in the state where they live; and

WHEREAS, The new federal law, which has no provision for reciprocal agreements,
requires a driver to pass school bus driving tests and to participate in continuing education
in both their home state and the state in which they drive, causing undue hardships on
Maryland counties which border other states and use school bus drivers who live outside
the State; and

WHEREAS, The transportation of children is important to all of us, and it is
important to have adequate coverage and safe drivers for the children of our State; now,
therefore, be it

RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That the State
Board of Education and the State Superintendent of Schools are requested to study
liability insurance coverage of the local school boards for contract school bus drivers and
make suggestions for adequate coverage; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the State Board of Education and the State Superintendent of
Schools are requested to study requirements for bus drivers to see if a reciprocal
agreement between bordering states can be established to relieve the undue burden placed
on out-of-state drivers; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the State Board of Education and the Superintendent of Schools
report their findings to the General Assembly by December 31, 1989; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be forwarded by the Department of
Legislative Reference to the Honorable William Donald Schaefer, Governor of Maryland;
the Honorable Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr., President of the Senate of Maryland; the
Honorable R. Clayton Mitchell, Jr., Speaker of the House of Delegates; the Honorable
Joseph L. Shilling, State Superintendent of Schools, 200 W. Baltimore Street, Baltimore,
Maryland 21201; and the Honorable Laurence Shulman, President, State Board of
Education, 200 W. Baltimore Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21201.

Signed May 19, 1989.

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