Providing pupil transportation safety net funding for special passengers.

 S-3547.1

SENATE BILL 5858

State of Washington

69th Legislature

2026 Regular Session

By Senators Wellman, Krishnadasan, Nobles, Slatter, Valdez, and C. Wilson

Prefiled 12/09/25. Read first time 01/12/26. Referred to Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education.

AN ACT Relating to pupil transportation safety net funding for special passengers; and adding a new section to chapter 28A.160 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 28A.160 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The superintendent of public instruction must provide transportation safety net awards to school districts with a convincingly demonstrated need for additional transportation funding for special passengers. Transportation safety net awards may only be provided when a school district's allowable transportation expenditures exceed the amount provided under RCW 28A.160.150 through 28A.160.192 and any excess transportation costs reimbursed by federal, state, tribal, or local child welfare agencies. A transportation safety net award may not exceed a school district's excess expenditures directly attributable to serving special passengers in the pupil transportation program.