Tennessee’s House Bill 577 is one step closer to becoming law after it unanimously passed the state Senate. If enacted, the bill would require the Department of Safety to maintain a database of school bus drivers and notify school districts if a driver has his or her license revoked or suspended.
Under the law, school districts would have to submit driver names to the Department of Safety. If suspension or revocation occurs, the Department of Safety contacts a district and the county board of education suspends or revokes the driver’s certificate to drive a school bus and informs him or her of the action. If the driver later gets his or her license reinstated, that driver may request a new certificate to drive a school bus.
The bill, which passed on Monday, would also apply to childcare employees responsible for transporting children.
Just last week, the House approved the bill 95-1. It is now headed to Gov. Bill Haslam’s desk, where it’s expected he will sign it into law, according to The Commercial Appeal.
