2080                             Joint Resolutions

The Governor's Commission to Study School Pupil Transporta-
tion devoted considerable attention to the problems relating to
school pupil transportation and whether this transportation can
best be provided by public ownership of buses or by private con-
tractors. The Commission received testimony from the State De-
partment of Education and from private contractors concerning
the advantages of each system of ownership and the relative costs
of each system.

The Commission concluded that only a comprehensive and in-depth
study of this complex subject will present a true and accurate
picture of the cost and other factors relating to public versus private
ownership of school buses.

The members of the General Assembly are concerned that trans-
portation of public school children in Maryland be accomplished at
the lowest possible cost consistent with the safety of the children
involved. They also believe that a thorough and comprehensive study
of the advantages and disadvantages and the relative cost including
all factors needs to be made of public and private ownership of
school buses.

The General Assembly believes that pending the completion of
such a study, the State Board of Education and the county LOCAL
boards of education should not undertake any modification of the
present status of private and public ownership of school buses and
should not encourage any change from private to public ownership of
school buses; now therefore be it

Resolved, That the General Assembly of Maryland requests and
directs the State Board of Education THE GOVERNOR OF MARY-
LAND to have an independent and impartial study undertaken of
the subject of public versus private ownership of school buses, and
that the study devote attention to the relative cost of each system
of ownership, to the ability of each system to transport pupils in
rural and urban areas; and to the feasibility of single formula for
reimbursement to the county board OR CITY BOARDS of education
irrespective of whether the county OR BALTIMORE CITY utilizes
public or private ownership of school buses or a combination of own-
ership and; be it further

Resolved, That this study should be completed and submitted to
the General Assembly by January 1, 1971, and; be it further

Resolved, Pending the completion of this study, that the State
Board of Education and the local boards of education should not
modify the present status of private and public ownership of school
buses or encourage any change from private to public owner-
ship of school buses, and; be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution shall be sent to the GOV-
ERNOR OF MARYLAND, THE State Board of Education and to
the county boards of education.

Approved April 15, 1970.

No. 16
(Senate Joint Resolution 65)

Senate Joint Resolution requesting the Governor to declare the week
of April 8 through 15, 1970, as Outdoor Appreciation Week in
Maryland.
Whereas, The State of Maryland contains outstanding natural

beauty of which its citizens should be aware; and