A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT DIRECTING THE Division of Motor vehicles TO DEVELOP A plan for a statewide permit for motor coach companies seeking to transport students, school personnel, and other authorized persons on school‑sponsored trips.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.(a)  The Commissioner of the Division of Motor Vehicles shall develop a plan for a statewide permit for motor coach companies that seek to contract with local school systems to transport students, school personnel, and other persons authorized by the school system on school‑sponsored trips.  The purpose of the permit shall be (i) to ensure student safety, (ii) to ensure safe operations by commercial motor coach companies, (iii) to minimize paperwork, (iv) to minimize visits to the motor coach companies by local school systems, and (v) to minimize the need for motor coach companies to respond to multiple requests for information from multiple local school systems.
SECTION 1.(b)  In developing the plan for a permit, the Commissioner of the Division of Motor Vehicles shall consult with the North Carolina School Boards Association, the State Highway Patrol, the North Carolina Pupil Transportation Association, the North Carolina Motor Coach Association, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and other interested parties.
SECTION 1.(c)  The components of the program shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(1)	Scope of the permit.
(2)	Standards for issuing the permit.
(3)	Duration of the permit.
(4)	Process for required inspections.
(5)	Entity to conduct required inspections.
(6)	Conditions for revoking the permit.
(7)	Renewal process.
(8)	Schedule of fees to cover the cost of implementation and administration.
(9)	Application form and other required documentation.
(10) 	Dissemination of current permit holders to school systems.
(11)	Estimate of costs to implement and number of new positions required. 
(12)	Impact on motor coach companies that have interstate operations.
(13)	Other related issues.
SECTION 1.(d)  The Division of Motor Vehicles shall report on the proposed plan to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by January 1, 2009.  Before the plan is implemented, the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee shall make any recommendations, including proposed legislation, to the 2009 General Assembly.
SECTION 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Division of Motor Vehicles the sum of five thousand dollars ($5,000) for the 2008‑2009 fiscal year to implement the provisions of this act.
SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law, and the plan for the statewide permit shall be implemented beginning with the 2009‑2010 school year.