OLYMPIA…A bill that will allow school districts the flexibility to use student transportation funding to pay for the use of vehicles other than school buses passed the Senate Monday.

Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, sponsored Senate Bill 6031 after seeing a full-size school bus transporting only two children. After talking to local school superintendents about why the bus, and not a smaller, less-expensive, more environmentally friendly vehicle was being used, he discovered that state law requires money allocated for student transportation be used only for school buses.

“It seemed a waste of resources to use a big school bus to transport just two kids. It makes more sense to allow school districts to use vans or other alternative vehicles, so long as they meet safety standards and are operated safely,” Braun said.

“This will allow school districts more flexibility. Perhaps they’ll also save money by sometimes transporting kids in a vehicle that’s better suited to a specific use than a bus. Seems like common sense.”

SB 6031 will now be considered in the House of Representatives.