|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1 | AN ACT concerning transportation.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3 | represented in the General Assembly:
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4 | Section 5. The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended by changing | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | Sections 12-813.1 and 12-816 as follows:
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | (625 ILCS 5/12-813.1)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | Sec. 12-813.1. School bus driver communication devices. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | (a) In this Section:
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | "School bus driver" means a person operating a school bus | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | who has a valid
school bus driver permit as required under | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | Sections 6-104 and 6-106.1 of this
Code.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | "Cellular radio telecommunication device" means a device | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
13 | capable of sending
or receiving telephone communications | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
14 | without an access line for service and
which requires the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
15 | operator to dial numbers manually. It does not, however,
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
16 | include citizens band radios or citizens band radio hybrids.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
17 | "Possession of a school bus" means the period of time from | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
18 | which a bus driver takes possession until the school bus driver | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
19 | returns possession of the school bus, whether or not the school | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
20 | bus driver is operating the school bus. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
21 | "Using a cellular radio telecommunication device" means | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
22 | talking or listening
to or dialing a cellular radio | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
23 | telecommunication device.
|
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | To "operate" means to have the vehicle in motion while it | ||||||
2 | contains one or
more passengers.
| ||||||
3 | (b) A school bus driver may not operate a school bus while | ||||||
4 | using a cellular
radio telecommunication device.
| ||||||
5 | (c) Subsection (b) of this Section does not apply:
| ||||||
6 | (1) To the use of a cellular radio telecommunication | ||||||
7 | device for the
purpose of communicating with any of the | ||||||
8 | following regarding an emergency
situation:
| ||||||
9 | (A) an emergency response operator;
| ||||||
10 | (B) a hospital;
| ||||||
11 | (C) a
physician's office or health clinic;
| ||||||
12 | (D) an ambulance service;
| ||||||
13 | (E) a fire
department, fire district, or fire | ||||||
14 | company; or
| ||||||
15 | (F) a police department.
| ||||||
16 | (2) To the use of a cellular radio telecommunication | ||||||
17 | device to call for
assistance in the event that there is a | ||||||
18 | mechanical breakdown or other
mechanical problem that | ||||||
19 | impairs the safe operation of the bus.
| ||||||
20 | (3) To the use of a cellular radio telecommunication | ||||||
21 | device that has a
digital two-way radio service capability | ||||||
22 | owned and operated by the school
district, when that device | ||||||
23 | is being used as a
digital two-way radio.
| ||||||
24 | (4) When the school bus is parked.
| ||||||
25 | (d) A school bus driver who violates subsection (b) of this | ||||||
26 | Section is guilty of a petty
offense punishable by a fine of |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | not less than $100 and not more than $250.
| ||||||
2 | (e) A school bus must contain an operating two-way
radio or | ||||||
3 | celluar radio telecommunication device while the school bus | ||||||
4 | driver is in possession of a school bus. The two-way radio or | ||||||
5 | celluar radio telecommunication device in this subsection must | ||||||
6 | be turned on and adjusted in a manner that would alert the | ||||||
7 | school bus driver of an incoming communication request. | ||||||
8 | (Source: P.A. 96-818, eff. 11-17-09.)
| ||||||
9 | (625 ILCS 5/12-816) | ||||||
10 | Sec. 12-816. Pre and post-trip inspection policy for school | ||||||
11 | buses. | ||||||
12 | (a) In order to provide for the welfare and safety of | ||||||
13 | children who are transported on school buses throughout the | ||||||
14 | State of Illinois, each school district shall have in place, by | ||||||
15 | January 1, 2008, a policy to ensure that the school bus driver | ||||||
16 | is the last person leaving the bus and that no passenger is | ||||||
17 | left behind or remains on the vehicle at the end of a route, a | ||||||
18 | work shift, or the work day. This policy and procedure shall, | ||||||
19 | at a minimum, require the school bus driver (i) to test the | ||||||
20 | two-way radio or celluar radio telecommunication device and | ||||||
21 | ensure that it is functioning properly before the bus is | ||||||
22 | operated and (ii) before leaving the bus at the end of each | ||||||
23 | route, work shift, or work day, to walk to the rear of the bus | ||||||
24 | and check the bus for children or other passengers in the bus. | ||||||
25 | (b) If a school district has a contract with a private |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | sector school bus company for the transportation of the | ||||||
2 | district's students, the school district shall require in the | ||||||
3 | contract with the private sector company that the company have | ||||||
4 | a post-trip inspection policy in place.
This policy and | ||||||
5 | procedure shall, at a minimum, require the school bus driver | ||||||
6 | (i) to test the two-way radio or celluar radio | ||||||
7 | telecommunication device and ensure that it is functioning | ||||||
8 | properly before the bus is operated and (ii) before leaving the | ||||||
9 | bus at the end of each route, work shift, or work day, to walk | ||||||
10 | to the rear of the bus and check the bus for children or other | ||||||
11 | passengers in the bus. | ||||||
12 | (c) Before this inspection, the school bus driver shall | ||||||
13 | activate the interior lights of the bus to assist the driver in | ||||||
14 | seeing in and under the seats during a visual sweep of the bus. | ||||||
15 | (d) This policy may include, at the discretion of the | ||||||
16 | school district, the installation of a mechanical or electronic | ||||||
17 | post-trip inspection reminder system which requires the school | ||||||
18 | bus driver to walk to the rear of the bus to deactivate the | ||||||
19 | system before the driver leaves the bus. The system shall | ||||||
20 | require that when the driver turns off the vehicle's ignition | ||||||
21 | system, the vehicle's interior lights must illuminate to assist | ||||||
22 | the driver in seeing in and under the seats during a visual | ||||||
23 | sweep of the bus.
| ||||||
24 | (Source: P.A. 95-260, eff. 8-17-07; 96-818, eff. 11-17-09.)
| ||||||
25 | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||||||
26 | becoming law.
|