South Carolina H 3167: Handicapped student information for school bus safety

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3167 Text of Previous Version (Dec. 06, 2024) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 3167

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING 
SECTION 59-67-520, RELATING TO THE TRANSPORTATION OF HANDICAPPED PERSONS ON 
PUBLIC SCHOOL BUSES, SO AS TO PROVIDE SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS WHO PROVIDE SUCH TRANSPORTATION 
HAVE A LEGITIMATE EDUCATIONAL INTEREST IN INFORMATION CONCERNING THE BEHAVIOR 
OR HEALTH OF THE HANDICAPPED STUDENTS THAT COULD HAVE A HEALTH OR SAFETY 
IMPACT, AND MUST BE GIVEN SUMMARIES OF SUCH INFORMATION BY SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Section 59-67-520 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 
59-67-520. (A) Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 59-33-50, 
59-67-420 and 59-67-510, the State Department of Education shall have the 
responsibility for transporting handicapped persons of lawful school age to and 
from the nearest school in which a handicapped pupil has been duly assigned. 
Additionally, when a school district is providing classes for handicapped 
persons between the ages of five and twenty-one years at the same location 
where classes and programs are provided for handicapped persons under age five 
and over age twenty-one, and when a cost reduction will result, the Ddepartment may enter into a 
reciprocal agreement with the facility whereby certain handicapped persons 
between the ages of five and twenty-one years may be transported on buses not 
owned by the Ddepartment 
and certain handicapped persons under age five and over age twenty-one may be 
transported on Ddepartment-owned buses.

 (B) The driver of a school bus who is 
providing transportation to a handicapped student has a legitimate educational 
interest in personally identifying information protected by HIPPA or FERPA that 
concerns the behavior or health of the handicapped student which could impact 
the health and safety of the student or other students on the bus. A school 
district shall provide a summary of such information to the driver.

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval 
by the Governor.

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This web page was last updated on December 06, 2024 at 10:36 AM