21-3-131. School bus standards; operators; vehicle operation; liability limited.

(a) Each district shall establish and maintain minimum standards for persons involved in the operation of school buses, including:

(i) Developing a written plan for the selection, training and supervision of persons whose duties involve the transporting of pupils;

(ii) Requiring each applicant for a position which duties involve the transporting of pupils to complete and submit an application form that includes a personal and occupational history;

(iii) Completing a check of the successful applicant's driving record;

(iv) Ensuring the successful applicant has on file with the district a copy of the medical examiner's certificate required by the United States department of transportation, federal motor carrier safety regulations, 49 C.F.R. Part 391.41;

(v) Requiring annual training consisting of not less than six (6) hours for persons whose duties involve the operation of school buses.

(b) Each district shall establish and maintain minimum standards for the operation of school buses, including:

(i) All school buses shall undergo a safety inspection not less than two (2) times each school year, with one (1) inspection conducted by a person not employed by the school district. A copy of the inspection reports shall be filed with the local school district;

(ii) School bus operators shall perform a daily pre-trip inspection of their vehicles and report promptly any defect or deficiency discovered that may affect the safety of the vehicle's operation or result in its mechanical breakdown. Documentation of the inspections shall be submitted weekly and retained on file with the school district for a period of one (1) year;

(iii) Operators of school buses equipped with lap belts shall wear a properly secured lap belt at all times the vehicle is in motion;

(iv) Passengers in type A school buses equipped with factory installed lap belts shall wear a properly secured lap belt at all times the vehicle is in motion;

(v) At least twice during each school year the driver of each school bus shall hold an emergency evacuation drill. Proper documentation for each drill shall be maintained on file with the school district;

(vi) School bus routing and seating plans shall be coordinated to eliminate standing passengers or exceeding the manufacturer's rating capacity for the school bus;

(vii) School buses shall operate with lighted headlamps at all times the vehicle is in motion;

(viii) The service door of the school bus shall remain closed at all times the vehicle is in motion;

(ix) Any accident involving a school bus which is required to be reported under W.S. 31-5-1106 shall also be reported to the state department of education on forms approved by the department;

(x) Effective school year 2016-2017, and each school year thereafter, all school buses transporting students to and from school and to and from student activities, as defined under W.S. 21-13-320(b)(i) and (ii), shall be equipped with an external video system and may be equipped with an internal video system. Equipment specifications shall be prescribed by rule and regulation of the department. Recordings or images from a video system installed under this paragraph shall not be a public record under the Wyoming Public Records Act, W.S. 16-4-201 through 16-4-205. Recordings or images may be entered into evidence for a violation of W.S. 31-5-507(a) as provided in W.S. 31-5-507(e) and may be discoverable for other criminal actions. Recordings or images made from a video system under this paragraph shall be destroyed within one (1) year of the date the recording was made.

(c) Evidence of a person's failure to wear a lap or seat belt on a school bus if required under state or federal law or the failure of a school bus driver to require a passenger to wear a lap or seat belt as required under W.S. 31-5-1402(a), shall not be admissible in any civil action or for the purposes of W.S. 31-5-1402(a).