New York State Sen. Joseph Griffo, R-C-Rome, and Assemblyman Robert Smullen, R-C-Meco, have introduced legislation that will help school districts facing challenges due to a mandated shift to zero- emission buses.
As a result of a mandate passed as part of the 2022-23 state budget, all new school buses purchased in New York must be zero-emission by 2027 and all school buses in operation must be electric by 2035.
However, many school districts have shared concerns and challenges they are facing regarding their ability to comply with this mandate.
Some of the challenges that stakeholders have identified include utility providers being unable to provide adequate power to districts; fiscal challenges related to school bus and charging infrastructure acquisition; and zero-emission school buses not being conducive to long bus routes or cold weather, among others.
Griffo and Smullen’s legislation (S8524/A9183) would provide districts with the option of an opt-out waiver that would permanently exempt them from provisions required by the zero-emission school bus mandate.
The bill, which would take effect immediately if signed into law, is in the Senate and Assembly’s education committees.
Griffo continues to call for a moratorium on the deadlines in the mandate so that the policy can be reexamined.
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