The act adds charter schools to provisions of state law requiring background checks to be conducted on school personnel. The act repeals language specifying the types of work screened volunteers might do for a school district or charter school and the positions that are required to undergo a background check.

The act requires background checks to be conducted not only on school bus drivers, but also on the drivers of other vehicles owned by school districts and charter schools. For drivers employed or contracted by a pupil transportation company that is under contract with a school district or charter school, the pupil transportation company shall conduct the criminal background check.

Additionally, the act provides that a driver's license with a school bus endorsement issued to an applicant who is 75 years of age or older, instead of 70 years of age or older, shall not be issued for more than two years, rather than one year. Renewal fees shall be waived for applicants 75 years age or older, rather than 70 years of age or older. The examination required to retain a school bus endorsement shall be completed biennially, instead of annually, for drivers who are at least 75 years of age, rather than 70 years of age. A biennial, rather than annual, commercial driver's license with a school bus endorsement shall be issued to an applicant who is 75 years of age or older, instead of 70 years of age or older.

This act is identical to provisions in SCS/HCS/HB 572 (2025) and similar to SB 460 (2025) and to provisions in SB 143 (2025), SCS/HCS/HB 607 (2025), SCS/HCS/HB 1569 (2024), HCS/HBs 296 & 438 (2025), and HCS/HB 2423 (2024).

OLIVIA SHANNON