Senate Bill 52 (2025) — School buses
SB 52
Florida Bills
Florida Senate - 2025 SB 52 By Senator Garcia 36-00068-25 202552__ Page 1 of 9 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to school buses; amending s. 316.003, 2 F.S.; revising the definition of the term “school bus” 3 as it relates to state uniform traffic control; making 4 a technical change; amending s. 322.01, F.S.; revising 5 the definition of the term “school bus” as it relates 6 to driver licenses to include a motor vehicle used to 7 transport students to and from a charter school, in 8 addition to a public or private school; amending s. 9 1006.25, F.S.; revising the definition of the term 10 “school bus” to include a motor vehicle regularly used 11 for the transportation of students of private and 12 charter schools in addition to public schools; 13 reenacting ss. 163.31801(3)(a), 212.055(6)(c), 14 316.6145(5), 316.72(2), 324.022(2)(a), 627.733(1)(a), 15 1002.40(2)(c), and 1011.71(2)(i), F.S., relating to 16 impact fees,
short title, intent, minimum 17 requirements, audits, and challenges; discretionary 18 sales surtaxes, legislative intent, authorization, and 19 use of proceeds; school bus safety belts or other 20 restraint systems required; buses simulating school 21 buses in color and insignia and conditions of use; 22 financial responsibility for property damage; required 23 security; the Hope Scholarship Program; and district 24 school tax, respectively, to incorporate the 25 amendments made to s. 1006.25, F.S., in references 26 thereto; providing an effective date. 27 28 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 29
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Section 1. Subsection (78) of
section 316.003, Florida 31 Statutes, is amended to read: 32 316.003
Definitions.—The following words and phrases, when 33 used in this chapter, shall have the meanings respectively 34 ascribed to them in this section, except where the context 35 otherwise requires: 36
(78) SCHOOL BUS.—Any motor vehicle that complies with the 37 color and identification requirements of
chapter 1006 and is 38 used to transport children to or from a public, or private, or 39 charter school or in connection with school activities, but not 40 including buses operated by common carriers in urban 41 transportation of school children. The term “school” includes 42 all preelementary, elementary, secondary, and postsecondary 43 schools. 44
Section 2. Subsection (39) of
section 322.01, Florida 45 Statutes, is amended to read: 46 322.01
Definitions.—As used in this chapter: 47 (39) “School bus” means a motor vehicle that is designed to 48 transport more than 15 persons, including the driver, and that 49 is used to transport students to and from a public, or private, 50 or charter school or in connection with school activities, but 51 does not include a bus operated by a common carrier in the urban 52 transportation of school children. The term “school” includes 53 all preelementary, elementary, secondary, and postsecondary 54 schools. 55
Section
Section 1006.25, Florida Statutes, is amended to 56 read: 57 1006.25 School buses.—School buses shall be defined and 58
Florida Senate - 2025 SB 52 36-00068-25 202552__ Page 3 of 9 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. meet specifications as follows: 59
(1) DEFINITION.—For the purpose of this part, a “school 60 bus” is a motor vehicle regularly used for the transportation of 61 prekindergarten disability program and kindergarten through 62 grade 12 students of the public, private, or charter schools to 63 and from school or to and from school activities. The term 64 includes motor vehicles, and owned, operated, rented, 65 contracted, or leased by any district school board, school buses 66 purchased under s. 1002.42(15), and vehicles used for the 67 transportation of students as provided in s. 1002.33(20)(c). The 68 term does not include except: 69 (
a) Passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles, and 70 trucks as defined in 49 C.F.R.
part 571. 71 (
b) Motor vehicles subject to, and meeting all requirements 72 of, the United States Department of Transportation, Federal 73 Motor Carrier Safety Regulations under Title 49, Code of Federal 74 Regulations and operated by carriers operating under the 75 jurisdiction of these regulations but not used exclusively for 76 the transportation of public school students. 77
(2) SPECIFICATIONS.—Each school bus as defined in 49 C.F.R. 78
part 571 and subsection (1) that is rented, leased, purchased, 79 or contracted for must meet the applicable federal motor vehicle 80 safety standards and other specifications as prescribed by rules 81 of the State Board of Education. 82
(3) STANDARDS FOR LEASED VEHICLES.—A motor vehicle owned 83 and operated by a county or municipal transit authority that is 84 leased by the district school board for transportation of 85 public, private, or charter school students must meet such 86 standards as the State Board of Education establishes by rule. A 87
Florida Senate - 2025 SB 52 36-00068-25 202552__ Page 4 of 9 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. school bus authorized by a district school board to carry 88 passengers other than school students must have the words 89 “School Bus” and any other signs and insignia that mark or 90 designate it as a school bus covered, removed, or otherwise 91 concealed while such passengers are being transported. 92
(4) OCCUPANT PROTECTION SYSTEMS.—Students may be 93 transported only in designated seating positions, except as 94 provided in s. 1006.22(11), and must use the occupant crash 95 protection system provided by the manufacturer, which system 96 must comply with the requirements of 49 C.F.R.
part 571 or with 97 specifications of the State Board of Education. 98
Section 4. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment 99 made by this act to
section 1006.25, Florida Statutes, in a 100 reference thereto, paragraph (
a) of subsection (3) of
section 101 163.31801, Florida Statutes, is reenacted to read: 102 163.31801 Impact fees;
short title; intent; minimum 103 requirements; audits; challenges.— 104
(3) For purposes of this section, the term: 105 (a) “Infrastructure” means a fixed capital expenditure or 106 fixed capital outlay, excluding the cost of repairs or 107 maintenance, associated with the construction, reconstruction, 108 or improvement of public facilities that have a life expectancy 109 of at least 5 years; related land acquisition, land improvement, 110 design, engineering, and permitting costs; and other related 111 construction costs required to bring the public facility into 112 service.
The term also includes a fire department vehicle, an 113 emergency medical service vehicle, a sheriff’s office vehicle, a 114 police department vehicle, a school bus as defined in s. 115 1006.25, and the equipment necessary to outfit the vehicle or 116
Florida Senate - 2025 SB 52 36-00068-25 202552__ Page 5 of 9 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. bus for its official use. For independent special fire control 117 districts, the term includes new facilities as defined in s. 118 191.009(4). 119
Section 5. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment 120 made by this act to
section 1006.25, Florida Statutes, in a 121 reference thereto, paragraph (
c) of subsection (6) of
section 122 212.055, Florida Statutes, is reenacted to read: 123 212.055 Discretionary sales surtaxes; legislative intent; 124 authorization and use of proceeds.—It is the legislative intent 125 that any authorization for imposition of a discretionary sales 126 surtax shall be published in the Florida Statutes as a 127 subsection of this section, irrespective of the duration of the 128 levy.
Each enactment shall specify the types of counties 129 authorized to levy; the rate or rates which may be imposed; the 130 maximum length of time the surtax may be imposed, if any; the 131 procedure which must be followed to secure voter approval, if 132 required; the purpose for which the proceeds may be expended; 133 and such other requirements as the Legislature may provide. 134 Taxable transactions and administrative procedures shall be as 135 provided in s. 212.054. 136
(6) SCHOOL CAPITAL OUTLAY SURTAX.— 137 (
c) The resolution providing for the imposition of the 138 surtax must set forth a plan for use of the surtax proceeds for 139 fixed capital expenditures or fixed capital costs associated 140 with the construction, reconstruction, or improvement of school 141 facilities and campuses which have a useful life expectancy of 5 142 or more years, and any land acquisition, land improvement, 143 design, and engineering costs related thereto, or any purchase, 144 lease-purchase, lease, or maintenance of school buses, as 145
Florida Senate - 2025 SB 52 36-00068-25 202552__ Page 6 of 9 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. defined in s. 1006.25, which have a life expectancy of 5 years 146 or more. Additionally, the plan shall include the costs of 147 retrofitting and providing for technology implementation, 148 including hardware and software, for the various sites within 149 the school district. Surtax revenues may be used to service bond 150 indebtedness to finance projects authorized by this subsection, 151 and any interest accrued thereto may be held in trust to finance 152 such projects.
Neither the proceeds of the surtax nor any 153 interest accrued thereto shall be used for operational expenses. 154 Surtax revenues shared with charter schools shall be shared 155 based on their proportionate share of total school district 156 capital outlay full-time equivalent enrollment as adopted by the 157 education estimating conference established in s. 216.136 and 158 expended by the charter school in a manner consistent with the 159 allowable uses set forth in s. 1013.62(4).
All revenues and 160 expenditures shall be accounted for in a charter school’s 161 monthly or quarterly financial statement pursuant to s. 162 1002.33(9). The eligibility of a charter school to receive funds 163 under this subsection shall be determined in accordance with s. 164 1013.62(1). If a school’s charter is not renewed or is 165 terminated and the school is dissolved under the provisions of 166 law under which the school was organized, any unencumbered funds 167 received under this subsection shall revert to the sponsor. 168
Section 6. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment 169 made by this act to
section 1006.25, Florida Statutes, in a 170 reference thereto, subsection (5) of
section 316.6145, Florida 171 Statutes, is reenacted to read: 172 316.6145 School buses; safety belts or other restraint 173 systems required.— 174
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(5) The provisions of this
section shall not apply to 175 vehicles as defined in s. 1006.25(1)(b). 176
Section 7. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment 177 made by this act to
section 1006.25, Florida Statutes, in a 178 reference thereto, subsection (2) of
section 316.72, Florida 179 Statutes, is reenacted to read: 180 316.72 Buses simulating school buses in color and insignia; 181 conditions of use.— 182
(2) Any educational, recreational, religious, or charitable 183 organization may own, operate, rent, or lease any bus which has 184 been painted the orange or yellow color known as “school bus 185 chrome” and which has been equipped with the signs, lights, 186 insignia, and other features which normally characterize a 187 school bus, as defined in s. 1006.25, consistent with the 188 provisions of this section. 189
Section 8. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment 190 made by this act to
section 1006.25, Florida Statutes, in a 191 reference thereto, paragraph (
a) of subsection (2) of
section 192 324.022, Florida Statutes, is reenacted to read: 193 324.022 Financial responsibility for property damage.— 194
(2) As used in this section, the term: 195 (a) “Motor vehicle” means any self-propelled vehicle that 196 has four or more wheels and that is of a type designed and 197 required to be licensed for use on the highways of this state, 198 and any trailer or semitrailer designed for use with such 199 vehicle. The term does not include: 200 1. A mobile home. 201 2. A motor vehicle that is used in mass transit and 202 designed to transport more than five passengers, exclusive of 203
Florida Senate - 2025 SB 52 36-00068-25 202552__ Page 8 of 9 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. the operator of the motor vehicle, and that is owned by a 204 municipality, transit authority, or political subdivision of the 205 state. 206 3. A school bus as defined in s. 1006.25. 207 4. A vehicle providing for-hire transportation that is 208 subject to the provisions of s. 324.031. A taxicab shall 209 maintain security as required under s. 324.032(1). 210 5. A personal delivery device as defined in s. 316.003. 211
Section 9. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment 212 made by this act to
section 1006.25, Florida Statutes, in a 213 reference thereto, paragraph (
a) of subsection (1) of
section 214 627.733, Florida Statutes, is reenacted to read: 215 627.733 Required security.— 216 (1)(
a) Every owner or registrant of a motor vehicle, other 217 than a motor vehicle used as a school bus as defined in s. 218 1006.25 or limousine, required to be registered and licensed in 219 this state shall maintain security as required by subsection (3) 220 in effect continuously throughout the registration or licensing 221 period. 222
Section 10. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment 223 made by this act to
section 1006.25, Florida Statutes, in a 224 reference thereto, paragraph (
c) of subsection (2) of
section 225 1002.40, Florida Statutes, is reenacted to read: 226 1002.40 The Hope Scholarship Program.— 227
(2) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term: 228 (c) “School” means any educational program or activity 229 conducted by a public K-12 educational institution, any school-230 related or school-sponsored program or activity, and riding on a 231 school bus, as defined in s. 1006.25(1), including waiting at a 232
Florida Senate - 2025 SB 52 36-00068-25 202552__ Page 9 of 9 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. school bus stop. 233
Section 11. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment 234 made by this act to
section 1006.25, Florida Statutes, in a 235 reference thereto, paragraph (
i) of subsection (2) of
section 236 1011.71, Florida Statutes, is reenacted to read: 237 1011.71 District school tax.— 238
(2) In addition to the maximum millage levy as provided in 239 subsection (1), each school board may levy not more than 1.5 240 mills against the taxable value for school purposes for charter 241 schools pursuant to s. 1013.62(1) and (3) and for district 242 schools to fund: 243 (
i) Payment of the cost of school buses when a school 244 district contracts with a private entity to provide student 245 transportation services if the district meets the requirements 246 of this paragraph. 247 1. The district’s contract must require that the private 248 entity purchase, lease-purchase, or lease, and operate and 249 maintain, one or more school buses of a specific type and size 250 that meet the requirements of s. 1006.25. 251 2. Each such school bus must be used for the daily 252 transportation of public school students in the manner required 253 by the school district. 254 3.
Annual payment for each such school bus may not exceed 255 10 percent of the purchase price of the state pool bid. 256 4. The proposed expenditure of the funds for this purpose 257 must have been included in the district school board’s notice of 258 proposed tax for school capital outlay as provided in s. 259 200.065(10). 260