(a) For the 1996–97 fiscal year, the Superintendent of Public Instruction shall provide a home-to-school transportation allowance of three million twelve thousand dollars ($3,012,000) to school districts and county superintendents of schools that provide transportation services by means of a joint powers authority in lieu of the amount that would otherwise have been provided pursuant to the provisions of this article and Article 10.5 (commencing with Section 41860), if the joint powers authority meets the following conditions as of June 30, 1996:

(1) The joint powers authority provides pupils of member school districts with home-to-school transportation on school buses that are operated by the joint powers authority.

(2) The joint powers authority provides school transportation services to at least six other school districts in the area who are not members of the joint powers authority.

(3) The joint powers authority provides maintenance services for vehicles owned and operated by the member school districts, other school districts in the area, fire districts, and vehicles owned by cities or counties.

(4) The cost per mile of home-to-school transportation services provided by the joint powers authority to member districts for the 1994–95 school year did not exceed the statewide average cost per mile for home-to-school transportation for all school districts in the state for the 1994–95 school year.

(b) For the 1997–98 fiscal year and each fiscal year thereafter, the home-to-school school transportation allowance shall revert to the 1995–96 level.

(Added by Stats. 1996, Ch. 194, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1997.)