(A) The department of public safety, with the advice of the public utilities commission, shall adopt and enforce rules relating to the inspection of buses to determine whether a bus is safe and lawful, including whether its equipment is in proper adjustment or repair.

(B) The rules shall determine the safety features, items of equipment, and other safety-related conditions subject to inspection. The rules may authorize the state highway patrol to operate safety inspection sites, or to enter in or upon the property of any bus operator to conduct the safety inspections, or both. The rules also shall establish a fee, not to exceed two hundred dollars, for each bus inspected.

(C) The state highway patrol shall conduct the bus safety inspections at least on an annual basis. An inspection conducted under this section is valid for twelve months unless, prior to that time, the bus fails a subsequent inspection or ownership of the bus is transferred.

(D) The state highway patrol shall collect a fee for each bus inspected.

(E) Upon determining that a bus is in safe operating condition, that its equipment is in proper adjustment and repair, and that it is otherwise lawful, the inspecting officer shall do both of the following:

(1) Affix an official safety inspection decal to the outside surface of each side of the bus;

(2) Issue the owner or operator of the bus a safety inspection report, to be presented to the registrar or a deputy registrar upon application for registration of the bus.

Effective Date: 06-30-2003.