---
title: HB 42. Quality Basic Education; calculation and distribution of funds to local units of administration for student transportation programs; revise provisions
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb42
cite_as: HB 42, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb42
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb42.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb42/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69339
date: 2025-01-16
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb42.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 42
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-01-14
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Viola Davis
- Sandra Scott
- Kim Schofield
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB42/2025
upstream_id: 1919167
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- school transportation funding
- school bus drivers
- education funding
- student safety
- Quality Basic Education
---
# HB 42. Quality Basic Education; calculation and distribution of funds to local units of administration for student transportation programs; revise provisions
## Text
House Bill 42
By: Representatives Davis of the 87th, Scott of the 76th, and Schofield of the 63rd
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Part 5 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to program weights and funding requirements under Quality Basic
Education, so as to revise provisions for the calculation and distribution of funds by the State
Board of Education to local units of administration for student transportation programs; to
require the State Board of Education to distribute to each local unit of administration up to
100 percent of projected costs of such local unit of administration's student transportation
program, subject to exception; to remove requirements that regular transportation services
shall be fully funded before other transportation services are funded; to require the State
Board of Education to collaborate with and receive relevant information from local units of
administration regarding the calculation of projected costs of student transportation
programs; to include the cost of health insurance in the factors considered in calculating the
costs of student transportation programs; to provide for processes; to require the Department
of Education to update the schedule of standards and variable student transportation costs or
cost factors twice each year and to publish such updated schedules on its public website; to
provide for the use of vehicles in addition to school buses in student transportation programs;
to provide for an increase in the schedule of uniform minimum salaries for drivers; to provide
for the inclusion in transportation cost calculations of students who live within 1 and 1/2
miles from school but who cannot safely walk or otherwise travel to school without the use
of a motor vehicle; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to repeal
conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Part 5 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to program weights and funding requirements under Quality Basic Education, is
amended by revising Code Section 20-2-188, relating to student transportation, as follows:
"20-2-188.
(a)(1) As used in this Code section, the term 'school vehicle,' or 'vehicle,' means vehicles,
including, but not limited to school buses, that are designated and used by a local unit of
administration for the transportation of students as part of its transportation program;
provided, however, that vehicles owned by school personnel, students, or student family
members shall not be included even when used for the purpose of transporting students.
(2) As used in this chapter, the term:
(A) 'Bus' or 'school bus' means vehicles, including, but not limited to school buses, that
are designated and used by a local unit of administration for the transportation of
students as part of its transportation program; provided, however, that vehicles owned
by school personnel, students, or student family members shall not be included even
when used for the purpose of transporting students.
(B) 'School bus driver' shall mean a person who is assigned by a local unit of
administration to drive vehicles, including, but not limited to school buses, that are
designated and used by such local unit of administration for the transportation of
students as part of its transportation program.
(C) 'School bus stop' means a place designated by a local unit of administration or
other proper authority for the pickup and drop off of students using vehicles, including,
but not limited to school buses, designated and used by such local unit of administration
for the transportation of students as part of its student transportation program.
(a)(b)(1) The Twice each school year, the amount of funds needed by a local unit of
administration to pay expenses the projected costs of student transportation shall be
calculated and distributed by the State Board of Education in accordance with a schedule
of standard transportation costs to be incurred by local units of administration in the
operation of economical and efficient student transportation programs and a schedule of
variable transportation costs or variable cost factors dependent upon current and
prevailing circumstances which affect, in varying ways, the cost of student transportation
authorized by this Code section; provided, however, that the amount of funds to be
actually distributed to any local unit of administration under this Code section during any
school year shall equal the lesser of 100 percent of the projected costs calculated under
this Code section for such local unit of administration or not exceed the actual costs
incurred by the local unit of administration in transporting students to and from public
schools, including costs for transportation for disabled or limited-English-proficient
students who must travel across local school system lines or away from the school to
which they would normally be assigned if they did not have such special needs. It is
further provided that the costs of the regular student transportation program receive full
funding before funds are provided for transportation of students to and from places for
the purpose of work experiences, training in instructional laboratories outside the
assigned schools, and in other such field trips required of or integral to the various
instructional components of the educational program. In establishing the schedule of
standards and variable student transportation costs or cost factors, the state board State
Board of Education shall collaborate with local units of administration throughout the
state and is, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, authorized to consider
factors and circumstances such as the number and density of students transported in the
local unit of administration and the areas therein served by school buses school vehicles;
the suitability of school bus school vehicle transportation routes in the local unit of
administration; the suitability of the type and number of buses school vehicles used by
the local unit of administration; the number of miles traveled by school buses such school
vehicles in the local unit of administration; minimum bus school vehicle loads;
transportation surveys, cost of transportation equipment, and depreciation schedules; the
schedule of minimum salaries for school bus vehicle drivers established in accordance
with subsection (b)(d) of this Code section; the number of school bus vehicle drivers
allotted to the local unit of administration; maintenance, repair, and operating costs of
transportation equipment; climate and terrain; condition of roads used for the purpose of
transporting students in the local unit of administration; cost of health and liability
insurance; cost of safety instruction and training for both bus drivers and students; and
such other factors and circumstances as the state board State Board of Education may find
relevant for the purpose of establishing such schedules and cost factors. The State Board
of Education shall provide for process by which local units of administration shall be
permitted to submit for review by the Department of Education information which such
local unit of administration deems to be relevant to the calculation of the projected cost
of student transportation programs. The state board State Board of Education shall have
authority to establish minimum requirements and standards respecting use of funds
allotted under this Code section.
(2) The schedule of standards and variable student transportation costs or cost factors
provided for in paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be updated by the Department of
Education twice each year no later than March 1 and November 1 to accurately reflect
current and actual conditions and published on the Department of Education's public
website.
(a.1)(c) Any funds that the State Board of Education allocates for school bus vehicle
replacement may be used by local boards of education local units of administration to
refurbish existing school buses; provided, however, that school. Bus vehicle replacement
funds may not be restricted by the state board State Board of Education for use only in
purchasing new or replacement school buses vehicles. Any school bus vehicle that is
refurbished shall be subject to all safety and maintenance inspection requirements provided
for by law. Refurbishment of a school bus such school vehicle shall be done by a school
bus manufacturer or by a dealer of a manufacturer. Each local board of education local unit
of administration that refurbishes a school bus vehicle pursuant to this subsection is
strongly encouraged to apply for federal funds to retrofit the engine. The State Board of
Education shall notify the Environmental Protection Division when a local board of
education local unit of administration receives state funds to refurbish a school bus vehicle
so that the division may provide information to such local board unit of administration
regarding the availability of federal funds for such purposes.
(b)(d) The State Board of Education shall establish a schedule of uniform minimum
salaries that shall be paid by local units of administration to drivers of school buses
vehicles provided by local units of administration for student transportation, regardless of
type of ownership, which shall be not less than the amount appropriated by the General
Assembly each year but not less than $500.00 $2,000.00 per month for 12 months. The
minimum salary schedule shall not apply to drivers of cars and other vehicles not
designated as school buses. Local units of administration shall not pay to any bus such
driver in their employment salaries less than those prescribed by the uniform minimum
salary schedule but shall have the authority to supplement such salaries. The expense of
purchasing, maintaining, and operating such buses school vehicles regardless of type of
ownership, shall not be considered in establishing the schedule of uniform minimum
salaries for school bus such drivers. The schedule of uniform minimum salaries shall be
used as a standard cost item for the purpose of calculating the expense of student
transportation under subsection (a)(b) of this Code section. This subsection shall not apply
to student or teacher drivers.
(c)(e) To the extent that the State Board of Education obtains a state-bid price under
subsection (b) of Code Section 20-2-168 on any standard item of equipment, supply, or
service used or obtained by local units of administration in connection with or as a result
of providing transportation services to students attending the public schools of such local
units of administration or on any other standard expense incurred by local units of
administration, the standard transportation cost or allowance to be attributed to such item
or expense under subsection (a)(b) of this Code section shall be based upon an amount not
in excess of the state-bid price on such item or expense.
(d)(f) Students who live beyond one and one-half miles from the school to which they are
assigned, according to the nearest practical route by school bus, vehicle, and students who
cannot readily walk to school or otherwise travel to school without the use of a motor
vehicle due to safety concerns, including, but not limited to, a lack of safely traversable
sidewalks and bike lanes, congested intersections, and otherwise unsafe conditions, shall
be eligible to be counted as transported students for the purpose of calculating that portion
of the expense of student transportation associated with transporting students from home
to school and from school to home as authorized under subsection (a)(b) of this Code
section, provided such students are actually transported to such school by a school bus or
other vehicle made available for this purpose by the local unit of administration. Any
Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, any student who resides within such
mileage limitation shall not be eligible to be counted for school transportation state-aid
purposes, with the exception of disabled students being transported.
(e)(g) The State Board of Education shall establish and require adherence to minimum
specifications for school vehicles used or contracted to be used by local units of
administration for transporting students, including a motor vehicle with a capacity of eight
persons or less operated and marked for the transportation of school children to and from
school and school related activities, taking into account the factors and circumstances set
forth in subsection (a)(b) of this Code section, and shall establish and require adherence to
minimum standards and requirements respecting maintenance, repair, inspection, and use
of such vehicles and minimum qualifications for the drivers of such vehicles. The state
board State Board of Education shall require, monitor, and fund a program of safety
instruction in the practices of safe riding and emergency bus vehicle evacuation drills for
both school bus drivers and students riding school buses vehicles.
(f)(h) The State Board of Education shall have the authority to allot funds for the
transportation of all public school students residing on Sapelo Island to the mainland of the
state for the purpose of attending school on the mainland.
(g)(i) The State Board of Education shall adopt policies, procedures, regulations, and other
such requirements for transportation and for payment of all transportation costs pursuant
to subsections (a) through (e)(g) of this Code section for all students with special needs
identified by the various local units of administration. Further, the state board State Board
of Education shall allot funds to local units of administration for transportation costs for
those students authorized by such local units of administration to attend schools and
programs of other local units of administration.
(h)(j) The State Board of Education shall adopt policies and regulations relative to vehicles
used for the transportation of students with special needs.
(i)(k) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a) through (h)(j) of this Code section,
funds to pay the expenses of student transportation shall be paid to an independent school
system only when requested by the board of education of such independent school system.
Any funds for student transportation costs shall be specified by the board of education of
the independent school system in its budget prepared pursuant to subsection (c) of Code
Section 20-2-167 and, if not budgeted therein, no expenses for student transportation shall
be payable to the independent school system for the fiscal year covered by such budget.
No provision of this article shall be construed to require the board of education of any
independent school system to furnish student transportation services within such school
system.
(j)(l) The amount of funds needed by a local unit of administration during a fiscal year for
sick and personal leave expenses of drivers of school bus drivers vehicles shall be
determined by multiplying the number of school buses vehicles allotted to a local unit of
administration pursuant to this Code section by a sum of money not less than $75.00. The
State Board of Education shall have the authority to prescribe minimum requirements and
standards for the distribution, use, and expenditure of funds allotted under this subsection."
SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
House Bill 42 would require the State Board of Education to fund up to 100 percent of each school district's projected student transportation costs, raise minimum bus driver pay, and let more students qualify for busing based on safety concerns.
### Plain-language summary
Georgia's Quality Basic Education law (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-188) currently limits how much the state reimburses local school districts for busing students and required regular transportation to be fully funded before other transportation, such as field trips. This bill rewrites that section to require the State Board of Education to distribute up to 100 percent of a district's projected transportation costs twice a year, rather than capping funding at a level that could shortchange districts, and removes the rule that regular busing must be funded first.
The bill also directs the Department of Education to update its cost schedules twice a year and post them online, adds the cost of health insurance to the factors used to calculate transportation costs, and expands covered vehicles beyond traditional school buses. It raises the minimum monthly salary for drivers from $500 to $2,000, and allows students who live within 1.5 miles of school to count for transportation funding if they cannot safely walk, such as where sidewalks or safe crossings are missing.
### What it does
- Requires the State Board of Education to pay each local school district up to 100 percent of its projected student transportation costs, twice each school year, instead of a lower capped amount.
- Removes the requirement that regular student transportation be fully funded before funding is provided for field trips and other non-regular transportation.
- Requires the State Board of Education to collaborate with local districts and let them submit cost information when the state calculates transportation funding formulas.
- Adds the cost of health insurance to the list of factors used in calculating a district's student transportation costs.
- Raises the state-mandated minimum monthly salary for school vehicle drivers from $500 to $2,000 for 12 months of work.
- Expands student transportation funding rules to cover a broader range of 'school vehicles,' not just traditional school buses, and lets students within 1.5 miles of school qualify for funding if they cannot safely walk or bike.
### Who it affects
Local school districts (called local units of administration) and their transportation budgets, the State Board of Education and Department of Education, school bus and vehicle drivers who would see a pay floor increase, and students, particularly those who live close to school but face unsafe walking conditions like missing sidewalks or busy intersections.
### Why it matters
Districts that currently receive less than their full transportation costs from the state could see more state money, and drivers would get a higher guaranteed minimum salary. More students living near schools but facing unsafe walking routes could become eligible for bus service, and districts would have more input into how the state calculates their transportation funding.
### Key provisions
- Amends O.C.G.A. § 20-2-188 to require the State Board of Education to fund the lesser of 100 percent of projected costs or actual transportation costs, calculated and distributed twice a year.
- Removes the prior rule requiring regular student transportation to be fully funded before funding non-regular transportation like field trips or work-experience travel.
- Requires the Department of Education to update its schedule of standard and variable transportation cost factors by March 1 and November 1 each year and publish it on its website.
- Adds health insurance costs to the factors the state considers when calculating district transportation costs, alongside existing factors like route density, terrain, and liability insurance.
- Raises the minimum monthly salary schedule for school vehicle drivers from $500 to $2,000 per month for 12 months.
- Broadens the definition of covered vehicles from 'school bus' to 'school vehicle,' covering a wider range of vehicles used for student transportation.
- Allows students within 1.5 miles of school to be counted for transportation funding if they cannot safely walk or travel to school due to conditions like unsafe sidewalks, bike lanes, or intersections.
- Requires the State Board of Education to set up a process for local districts to submit information relevant to calculating their projected transportation costs.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2025-01-14)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2025-01-16)
- Sponsors: Viola Davis, Sandra Scott, Kim Schofield
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69339
> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb42.md?full=1