(a)    (1)    In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.

(2)    “Nonpublic school” means an elementary or secondary school in Calvert County that does not receive State aid.

(3)    “Public school bus” includes any other conveyance used to transport students to a public school.

(b)    (1)    At its own expense, a county governing body may provide transportation for public school students in addition to the transportation provided by the State.

(2)    In Montgomery County, a fee may not be charged for transporting public school students to school from their designated bus stop locations or from school to their designated bus stop locations.

(c)    (1)    Subject to the requirements of paragraph (2) of this subsection, in Calvert County the county board may provide transportation to and from school on a public school bus for a student who attends a nonpublic school.

(2)    Transportation offered by the Calvert County Board under this section shall be offered to a student attending a nonpublic school:

(i)    If there is sufficient capacity on the school bus;

(ii)    If the student resides on, along, or near a public highway in the county on which a public school bus or conveyance operates;

(iii)    If the student resides in the public school transportation district served by the public school bus;

(iv)    Only on the routes, school days, and hours of transportation that coincide with the routes, school days, and hours of transportation for students attending public schools in the county; and

(v)    In the case of a student who attends a nonpublic school that is not on the public school bus route, only to the public school on the route which is nearest to the nonpublic school.

(3)    The Calvert County Board is not responsible for the safety of any nonpublic school student who is transported on a public school bus under this subsection after the student is discharged from the public school bus, and the board may not be held liable in any civil action arising from an act or omission that occurs after the student is discharged from the public school bus.