Effective this fall, Ohio school districts may operate vehicles up to 1,000 miles when transporting students on out-of-state trips.
HB 437 was signed by Gov. John Kasich last month after the bill unanimously passed both the House and Senate. The revised section of state code 3327.15 goes into effect on Sept. 28. The previous statute limited out-of-state travel to 240 miles.
There is thought to be no direct fiscal effect on the state, but school districts could incur additional costs for fuel, vehicle maintenance and other costs associated with the travel. In its fiscal note, the Ohio Legislature noted that most school districts that opt to travel the additional distance will choose to do so “only as a less expensive alternative to hiring a private charter bus company.”
