ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5009
State of Washington
69th Legislature
2025 Regular Session
By Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education (originally sponsored by Senators Braun, Wellman, Bateman, Christian, Conway, Cortes, Dozier, Gildon, Harris, King, Krishnadasan, Lovelett, Nobles, Schoesler, Shewmake, Short, Slatter, Wagoner, Warnick, and J. Wilson)
READ FIRST TIME 02/06/25.
AN ACT Relating to accommodating multiple vehicle types for transporting students; amending RCW 28A.160.150 , 28A.160.170 , 28A.160.180 , 28A.160.195 , 28A.160.210 , 46.25.010 , and 46.25.050 ; and providing an effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 28A.160.150 and 2009 c 548 s 304 are each amended to read as follows:
Funds allocated for transportation costs, except for funds provided for transportation and transportation services to and from school shall be in addition to the basic education allocation. The distribution formula developed in RCW 28A.160.150 through 28A.160.180 shall be for allocation purposes only and shall not be construed as mandating specific levels of pupil transportation services by local districts nor the type of vehicle to be used for pupil transportation, except as provided in RCW 28A.160.195 . School districts are encouraged to use a vehicle type deemed by a district to be a safe and cost-effective manner of transporting its students, including using school buses and other vehicles, and may use the student transportation allocation accordingly . Operating costs as determined under RCW 28A.160.150 through 28A.160.180 shall be funded at (( one hundred )) 100 percent or as close thereto as reasonably possible for transportation of an eligible student to and from school as defined in RCW 28A.160.160 (3). In addition, funding shall be provided for transportation services for students living within the walk area as determined under RCW 28A.160.160 (5).