TASK DEFINITION: In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.
PROBLEM: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ''Preserving Marginal Lands and
Protecting Farming Act of 2013''.

SEC. 2. MAXIMUM ENROLLMENT.

Section 1231(d) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C.
3831(d)) is amended to read as follows:
''(d) Maximum Enrollment.--The Secretary may maintain in the
conservation reserve at any 1 time, not more than--
''(1) during fiscal year 2013, 29,000,000 acres;
''(2) during fiscal year 2014, 26,000,000 acres; and
''(3) during each of fiscal years 2015 through 2018,
24,000,000 acres.''.

SEC. 3. INELIGIBLE LAND.

Section 1231 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3831) is
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
''(j) Ineligible Land.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this
section, after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary
may not enroll land in the conservation reserve that is classified as
class I or class II land under the land capability classification
system published in the National Soil Survey Handbook of the Natural
Resources Conservation Service, unless such land is enrolled as a
buffer, filterstrip, or strip adjacent to a riparian area.''.

SEC. 4. CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS.

(a) Early Termination by Owner or Operator.--Section 1235(e) of the
Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3835(e)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)(A)--
(A) by striking ''The Secretary'' and inserting
''During fiscal year 2014, the Secretary''; and
(B) by striking ''before January 1, 1995,'';
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking subparagraph (C) and
inserting the following:
''(C) Land devoted to hardwood trees.
''(D) Wildlife habitat, duck nesting habitat,
pollinator habitat, upland bird habitat buffer,
wildlife food plots, State acres for wildlife
enhancement, shallow water areas for wildlife, and rare
and declining habitat.
''(E) Farmable wetland and restored wetland.
''(F) Land that contains diversions, erosion
control structures, flood control structures, contour
grass strips, living snow fences, salinity reducing
vegetation, cross wind trap strips, and sediment
retention structures.
''(G) Land located within a federally-designated
wellhead protection area.
''(H) Land that is covered by an easement under the
conservation reserve program.
''(I) Land located within an average width,
according to the applicable Natural Resources
Conservation Service field office technical guide, of a
perennial stream or permanent water body.''; and
(3) in paragraph (3), by striking ''60 days after the date
on which the owner or operator submits the notice required
under paragraph (1)(C)'' and inserting ''upon approval by the
Secretary''.
(b) Transition Option for Certain Farmers or Ranchers.--Section
1235(f) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3835(f)) is
amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)--
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by
striking ''Duties'' and all that follows through ''a
beginning farmer'' and inserting ''Transition to
covered farmer or rancher.--In the case of a contract
modification approved in order to facilitate the
transfer of land subject to a contract from a retired
farmer or rancher to a beginning farmer'';
(B) in subparagraph (A)(i), by inserting '',
including preparing to plant an agricultural crop''
after ''improvements'';
(C) in subparagraph (D), by striking ''the farmer
or rancher'' and inserting ''the covered farmer or
rancher''; and
(D) in subparagraph (E), by striking ''section
1001A(b)(3)(B)'' and inserting ''section 1001(a)''; and
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking ''requirement of section
1231(h)(4)(B)'' and inserting ''option pursuant to section
1231(h)''.
(c) Final Year Contract.--Section 1235 of the Food Security Act of
1985 (16 U.S.C. 3835) is amended by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
''(g) Final Year of Contract.--The Secretary shall not consider an
owner or operator to be in violation of a term or condition of the
conservation reserve contract if--
''(1) during the year prior to expiration of the contract,
the land is enrolled in the conservation stewardship program;
and
''(2) the activity required under the conservation
stewardship program pursuant to such enrollment is consistent
with this subchapter.''.

SOLUTION: Preserving Marginal Lands and Protecting Farming Act of 2013 - Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to set the maximum number of acres that may be enrolled at any one time in the conservation reserve program (CRP) at: (1) 29 million acres for FY2013, (2) 26 million acres for FY2014, and (3) 26 million acres for each of FY2015 through FY2018. Prohibits the enrollment of land in the conservation reserve that is classified as class I or class II land under the National Soil Survey Handbook's land capability classification system unless such land is enrolled as a buffer, filterstrip, or strip adjacent to a riparian area. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA), during FY2014, to permit a participant that entered into a CRP contract to terminate the contract at any time if the contract has been in effect for at least five years. Revises the types of land that are not subject to early contract termination.

PROBLEM: SECTION 1. YELLOWSTONE BUFFALO PRESERVATION.

(a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the ''Yellowstone
Buffalo Preservation Act''.
(b) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) More than any other animal, the American buffalo (Bison
bison) is a wildlife icon of the United States. The American
buffalo is the symbol that represents the Department of the
Interior. The American buffalo is profoundly significant to
Native American cultures and, perhaps more than any other
wildlife species, has influenced our history.
(2) The American buffalo is still under assault, as it was
in the late 19th Century when it was nearly exterminated. At
the end of the great slaughter, in which tens of millions of
buffalo were killed, only a few hundred wild buffalo remained
in the Nation and all were located in Yellowstone National
Park. Due to poaching, their numbers were reduced to 25 by the
year 1900.
(3) The offspring of the 25 survivors comprise the
Yellowstone buffalo herd and are the only wild, free-roaming
American buffalo to continuously occupy their native habitat in
the United States.
(4) The Yellowstone buffalo herd is genetically unique.
Unlike captive ranched buffalo, which are now relatively
common, the Yellowstone buffalo herd has never interbred with
cattle and has retained its wild character.
(5) Because the Park lacks extensive low-elevation winter
habitat that provides bison and elk with access to winter
forage, wildlife migrate from the high elevation plateau of
Yellowstone National Park to lower elevation habitat adjacent
to the Park in winter and spring.
(6) The Yellowstone buffalo herd was exposed to the
bacterium Brucella abortus, which can cause the disease
brucellosis, in 1917. Brucellosis is only transmitted through
animal ingestion of contaminated reproductive products.
Brucellosis can cause abortions in infected animals, but only
infectious females who have the bacteria in their reproductive
system represent any potential threat of transmission. The risk
of transmission between wild buffalo and cattle was deemed low
in a 1992 General Accounting Office report, and again in a 1998
National Research Council study. In fact, there has never been
a confirmed incidence of brucellosis transmission in the wild
from buffalo to cattle. Buffalo with brucellosis and cattle
have grazed together for over 50 years in the Jackson Hole area
south of Yellowstone without any incident of disease
transmission. Despite these facts, the National Park Service,
the United States Forest Service, and the State of Montana
Department of Livestock haze, capture, and kill members of the
Yellowstone buffalo herd in an attempt to keep them unnaturally
confined within Yellowstone National Park. At the same time,
approximately 13,000 Yellowstone elk, some of which also harbor
brucellosis, are allowed unfettered access to Federal land
outside the Park. Since 1984, nearly 3,700 American buffalo
have been killed in Montana as a result of this policy. In the
winter of 2002-2003, 244 buffalo were killed by the Federal and
State agencies, including 231 buffalo which were captured and
slaughtered by the National Park Service.
(7) The key lower elevation habitat needed by American
buffalo is primarily on Gallatin National Forest lands adjacent
to the north and west sides of the Park. On the north side,
taxpayers spent $13,000,000 in 1999 for a private-Federal land
exchange intended to make low elevation habitat adjacent to the
Yellowstone River accessible to the Yellowstone buffalo herd
and other wildlife. The land exchange has not yet been
finalized by Federal agencies and therefore key habitat is not
available to the Yellowstone buffalo herd.
(8) On the west side of the Park, the Horse Butte peninsula
provides prime wildlife habitat for grizzly bears, trumpeter
swans, bald eagles, wolves, and buffalo. The peninsula
comprises approximately 10,000 acres of primarily Gallatin
National Forest Federal lands extending into Hebgen Lake.
(9) National Park Service lands have been set aside for the
conservation of resources and values and for the enjoyment and
use of all citizens. The Federal lands adjacent to the Park
represent some of the most valuable and important wildlife
habitat in the lower forty-eight states. They are integrally
connected to the health of wildlife residing seasonally in our
Nation's oldest national park. Together, the Park and the
adjacent Federal lands provide some of our Nation's richest
opportunities for recreation, wildlife viewing, family camping,
wildlife conservation, fishing, and other recreational and
sporting activities. These Federal lands should be
preferentially managed to sustain this rich and diverse
wildlife resource and to provide the public with enjoyment of
this National treasure.
(c) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to provide for the
protection of the Yellowstone buffalo herd by allowing the Yellowstone
buffalo herd to freely roam Federal lands outside of the Park. The
Federal lands that are affected by this Act are those within the Park
and adjacent to it on the north and west boundaries as indicated by
zones 2 and 3 on the Modified Preferred Alternative Map on page 181 of
the 2000 Bison Management Plan for the State of Montana and Yellowstone
National Park Final Environmental Impact Statement.
(d) Definitions.--For the purposes of this section, the following
definitions apply:
(1) Hazing.--The term ''hazing'' means any individual
effort to drive away, obstruct, chase, scare, or deter natural
movements of wildlife, including hazing efforts carried out on
foot or horseback or efforts aided by machinery, aircraft, or
any type of noise-making device.
(2) Individual.--The term ''individual'' means any person
representing a State or Federal Government.
(3) Park.--The term ''Park'' means Yellowstone National
Park.
(4) Secretary.--The term ''Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(5) Yellowstone buffalo herd.--The term ''Yellowstone
buffalo herd'' means the wild, free roaming, unfenced buffalo
living primarily within Yellowstone National Park.
(e) Prohibited Acts; Criminal Penalties.--
(1) Prohibited acts.--No individual may kill, haze, or
capture any buffalo on Federal land or land held under Federal
conservation easements or use any form of bait to lure buffalo
from any Federal land onto private land until the duties under
subsection (f) are carried out.
(2) Penalties.--
(A) Initial violation.--Any individual found to be
in violation of paragraph (1) for the first time shall
be fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned not more
than 1 year or both.
(B) Subsequent violations.--Any individual found to
be in violation of paragraph (1) after the first such
finding shall be fined not more than $10,000 or
imprisoned not more than 2 years or both.
(C) Reward.--One half of any fine collected under
this subsection or $2,500, whichever is less, shall be
paid to any person or persons giving information which
leads to conviction of a violation of this subsection.
(D) Exception.--This subsection shall not apply to
a person that is found to have been hazing a buffalo if
the person is physically endangered or private property
was damaged by a buffalo.
(f) Duties.--The Secretary and other appropriate Federal agencies
shall ensure that the following is accomplished not later than 3 years
after the date of the enactment of this Act:
(1) The Yellowstone buffalo herd is allowed to freely roam
the Park and the Federal lands adjacent to Yellowstone National
Park on the north and west boundaries as indicated by zones 2
and 3 on the Modified Preferred Alternative Map on page 181 of
the 2000 Bison Management Plan for the State of Montana and
Yellowstone National Park Final Environmental Impact Statement
without being hazed. These lands shall be made available
preferentially for buffalo and wildlife use.
(2) Management authority of the Yellowstone buffalo herd
within the Park is under the sole jurisdiction of the National
Park Service.
(3) The land exchange described in section 1(b)(7) with the
private property owner has been finalized, as set forth in the
agreement executed in 1999, so that the Yellowstone buffalo
herd may freely roam the lands described in paragraph (1).
(4) The National Park Service has disassembled the Stephens
Creek Buffalo Capture Facility.
(5) The Secretary has made every effort practicable to
allow the Yellowstone buffalo herd to freely roam Federal lands
through incentives and cooperative efforts with adjacent
private landowners, including through acquisition, easement,
cattle vaccination, and landowner agreement pertaining to
temporal and spatial separation of livestock from the
Yellowstone buffalo herd.

SOLUTION: Yellowstone Buffalo Preservation Act - Prohibits an individual from killing, hazing, or capturing any buffalo on Federal lands or land held under Federal conservation easements or using any form of bait to lure buffalo from any Federal land onto private land until the Secretary of the Interior and other appropriate Federal agencies carry out specified duties.

Establishes fines and criminal penalties for violations of this Act.

PROBLEM: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ''School Bus Safety Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act, the following definitions apply:
(1) Bus.--The term ''bus'' means a motor vehicle with
motive power, except a trailer, designed for carrying more than
10 persons.
(2) School bus.--The term ''school bus'' means a bus that
is used for purposes that include carrying pupils to and from
public or private school or school-related events on a regular
basis.
(3) Secretary.--The term ''Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Transportation.

SEC. 3. PROFICIENCY STANDARDS FOR SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS.

(a) Requirement.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall prescribe proficiency
standards for school bus drivers who are required to possess a
commercial driver's license to operate a school bus.
(b) Exemption for Certain States.--In prescribing proficiency
standards under subsection (a), the Secretary shall provide that a
State may, instead of utilizing such proficiency standards, utilize
proficiency standards established by the State before the date of the
prescription of efficiency standards under subsection (a) if the
Secretary determines that the standards of the State establish
proficiency requirements as rigorous as the proficiency requirements
established under the standards prescribed under subsection (a).
(c) Demonstration of Proficiency.--Upon the prescription of
standards under subsection (a), each school bus driver referred to in
subsection (a) shall demonstrate (at such interval as the Secretary
shall prescribe) to the employer of the driver, the school district,
the State licensing agency, or other person or agency responsible for
regulating school bus drivers the proficiency of such driver in
operating a school bus in accordance with the proficiency standards
prescribed under subsection (a) or the proficiency standards
established by the State concerned, as the case may be.

SEC. 4. GUIDELINES FOR SAFE TRANSPORTATION OF CHILDREN BY SCHOOL BUS.

The Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration shall develop and disseminate guidelines on the safe
transportation in school buses of children under the age of 5. Such
guidelines shall include recommendations for the evacuation of such
children from such buses in the event of an emergency.

SEC. 5. IMPROVED INTERSTATE SCHOOL BUS SAFETY.

(a) Applicability of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations to
Interstate School Bus Operations.--Section 31136 of title 49, United
States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking the second sentence of subsection (e); and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
''(g) Applicability to School Transportation Operations of Local
Education Agencies.--Not later than 6 months after the date of the
enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall issue regulations
making the relevant commercial motor carrier safety regulations issued
under subsection (a) applicable to all interstate school transportation
operations by local educational agencies (as defined in section 14101
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965).''.
(b) Education Program.--Not later than 6 months after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall develop and implement an
education program informing all local educational agencies (as defined
in section 14101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965)
that they must comply with the Federal commercial motor vehicle safety
regulations issued under section 31136 of title 49, United States Code,
when providing interstate transportation on a school bus vehicle to and
from school-sanctioned and school-related activities.
(c) Compliance Reports.--Each year for the first 4 years after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to
Congress by June 1 a report describing in detail the status of
compliance by private motor carriers (for-hire) and local educational
agencies in meeting the requirements of section 31136 of title 49,
United States Code, and enforcement actions undertaken by the
Department of Transportation.

SEC. 6. DETERMINATION OF PRACTICABILITY AND FEASIBILITY OF CERTAIN
SAFETY AND ACCESS REQUIREMENTS FOR SCHOOL BUSES.

(a) Commencement of Rulemaking Process.--Not later than 6 months
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall begin
a rulemaking process to determine the feasibility and practicability of
the following:
(1) A requirement for a decrease in the flammability of the
materials used in the construction of the interiors of school
buses.
(2) A requirement that individuals, school districts, or
companies that sell in the secondary market school buses that
may be used in interstate commerce inform purchasers of such
buses that such buses may not meet current National Highway
Transportation Safety Administration standards or Federal
Highway Administration standards with respect to such buses.
(3) The establishment of construction, design, and
securement standards for wheelchairs used in the transportation
of students in school buses.
(4) A requirement that school buses manufactured after the
effective date of the rule be equipped with a bumper sensor,
wheel guard, and front bumper gate and a system that
automatically applies the vehicle's brakes when the bumper
sensor, wheel guard, or front bumper gate makes contact with an
object or pedestrian.
(5) A requirement that school buses manufactured after the
effective date of the rule be equipped with a system that
detects a trapped obstacle in the door of the vehicle and
automatically applies the vehicle's brakes, or provides a
warning to the driver, when such a object is detected.
(b) Final Rule.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall promulgate a final rule
providing for any requirement or standard referred to in paragraph (1),
(2), (3), (4), or (5) of subsection (a) that the Secretary determines
to be feasible and practicable.

SEC. 7. CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS OF SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS.

(a) Prohibition on Employment Pending Check.--Notwithstanding any
other provision of law and except as provided in subsection (b), a
local educational agency, and any contractor providing school
transportation services to such an agency, may not newly employ a
person as a driver of a school bus of or on behalf of the agency before
the completion of a background check of the person in the national
criminal history background check system. The purpose of the check is
to determine whether the person has been convicted of a crime which
would warrant barring the person from duties as a driver of a school
bus.
(b) Exception.--A local educational agency or a contractor may
newly employ a person as a driver of a school bus of or on behalf of
the agency if a check of the person is not completed by the end of the
21-day period beginning on the date of the request for the check by the
agency. The agency or contractor may commence such employment beginning
at the end of such 21-day period.
(c) Check Procedures.--Each State shall establish procedures for
conducting checks under this section. Such procedures shall include the
designation of an agency of the State to carry out the checks and shall
meet the guidelines set forth in section 3(b) of the National Child
Protection Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 5119a(b)).
(d) Limitation on Liability.--A local educational agency or a
contractor providing transportation services to such an agency shall
not be liable in an action for damages on the basis of a criminal
conviction of a person employed by the agency or contractor as a school
bus driver if--
(1) a check of the person was conducted under this section;
and
(2) the conviction was not disclosed to the agency or
contractor pursuant to the check.
(e) Fees.--
(1) Fees imposed by state agencies.--
(A) In general.--A State agency designated under
subsection (c) may impose and collect fees for the
provision of assistance in the conduct of checks under
this section. The amount of such fees may not exceed
the actual cost to the State agency of providing such
assistance.
(B) Monitoring.--A State shall monitor the
collection of fees by an agency of the State under this
paragraph for purposes of ensuring that--
(i) such fees are collected on a uniform
basis; and
(ii) the amounts collected reflect only the
actual cost to the State agency of providing
assistance in the conduct of background checks.
(2) Fees imposed by federal bureau of investigation.--
(A) In general.--The Federal Bureau of
Investigation may impose and collect fees for the
provision of assistance in the conduct of checks under
this section. The amount of such fees may not exceed
the actual cost to the Federal Bureau of Investigation
of providing such assistance.
(B) Monitoring.--The Attorney General shall monitor
the collection of fees under this paragraph for
purposes of ensuring that--
(i) such fees are collected on a uniform
basis; and
(ii) the amounts collected reflect only the
actual cost to the Federal Bureau of
Investigation of providing assistance in the
conduct of background checks.
(f) Definitions.--In this section, the following definitions apply:
(1) Local educational agency.--The term ''local educational
agency'' has the meaning given such term in section 14101 of
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
8801).
(2) National criminal history background check system.--The
term ''national criminal history background check system'' has
the meaning given such term in section 5(6) of the National
Child Protection Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 5119c(6)).
(3) State.--The term ''State'' means each of the 50 States,
the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
(g) Applicability.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), this
section shall apply to the new employment of persons by local
educational agencies or contractors beginning on the later of--
(A) the date that is 60 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act; or
(B) the date on which the State in which the
agencies or contractors are located establishes the
procedures required under subsection (c).
(2) Exceptions.--During the period beginning on the date of
the enactment of this Act and ending on the date of the
applicability of this section to a local educational agency or
contractor under paragraph (1), the local educational agency or
contractor shall, to the maximum extent practicable, request
that the Federal Bureau of Investigation conduct a background
check with fingerprints of each person newly employed by the
local educational agency or contractor as a school bus driver
of or on behalf of the local educational agency.
(h) Funding.--
(1) Violence prevention programs.--Section 4116(b)(5) of
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
7116(b)(5)) is amended by striking ''and neighborhood patrols''
and inserting ''neighborhood patrols, and criminal background
checks of potential drivers of school buses under section 5 of
the School Bus Safety Act.''.
(2) Innovative education assistance.--Section 6301(b) of
such Act (20 U.S.C. 7351(b)) is amended--
(A) by striking ''and'' at the end of paragraph
(7);
(B) by striking the period at the end of paragraph
(8) and inserting ''; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
''(9) the carrying out of criminal background checks of
potential drivers of school buses under section 4 of the School
Bus Safety Act.''.

SEC. 8. ESTABLISHMENT OF MINIMUM REPORTING CRITERIA FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY
PROGRAM ON TRAFFIC-RELATED DEATHS AND INJURIES.

The Secretary of Transportation shall--
(1) not later than December 31, 1998, issue a notice of
proposed rulemaking with respect to the minimum reporting
criteria required under the tenth sentence of section 402(a) of
title 23, United States Code; and
(2) not later than December 31, 1998, and after an
opportunity for public comment, issue a final rule establishing
such criteria.

SEC. 9. SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY.

(a) Study.--Not later than 3 months after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Secretary shall enter into an agreement with the
Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences to
conduct a study of the safety issues attendant to transportation of
school children to and from school and school-related activities by
various transportation modes.
(b) Terms of Agreement.--The agreement entered into in subsection
(a) shall provide that--
(1) the Transportation Research Board, in conducting the
study, consider--
(A) in consultation with the National
Transportation Safety Board, the Bureau of
Transportation Statistics, and other relevant entities,
available crash injury data, and if unavailable or
insufficient, recommend a new data collection regimen
and implementation guidelines; and
(B) vehicle design and driver training
requirements, routing, and operational factors that
affect safety and other factors that the Secretary
considers appropriate; and
(2) the panel conducting the study shall include
representatives of highway safety organizations, school
transportation, mass transportation providers, employee
organizations, academic and policy analysts, and other
interested parties.
(c) Report.--Not later than 12 months after the date of entry into
the agreement under subsection (a), the Secretary shall transmit to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban
Affairs of the Senate a report containing the results of the study.

SEC. 10. PILOT PROGRAM TO ASSESS BENEFITS OF EQUIPPING SCHOOL BUSES
WITH SAFETY RESTRAINT DEVICES.

(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall carry out a pilot program
to assess the benefits of equipping school buses with Aaron Gordon type
flight attendant double shoulder harness mechanisms or other safety
restraint devices providing equal or greater passenger protection.
(b) Grants.--In carrying out the program, the Secretary may make
grants to one school district for equipping school buses in the
district with safety restraint devices described in subsection (a).
(c) Federal Share.--The Federal share of the cost of a project
carried out using a grant under subsection (b) may not exceed 50
percent of such cost.

SEC. 11. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary
to carry out this Act.

SOLUTION:
School Bus Safety Act - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to prescribe Federal proficiency standards for school bus drivers who are required to possess a commercial driver's license to operate a school bus. Requires the Secretary, in prescribing such standards, to authorize States to establish their own proficiency standards in lieu of the Federal standards if the Secretary determines they are as rigorous as the Federal standards. Requires bus drivers to demonstrate their proficiency in operating a school bus in accordance with either the Federal or State standards.
(Sec. 4) Directs the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to develop and disseminate guidelines on the safe transportation in school buses of children under the age of five.
(Sec. 5) Amends Federal transportation law to require the Secretary to issue regulations applying Federal commercial motor carrier safety regulations to all interstate school operations by local educational agencies. Directs the Secretary to develop an education program informing all local educational agencies that they must comply with such regulations when providing interstate transportation on a school bus to and from school-sanctioned and school-related activities.
(Sec. 6) Requires the Secretary to begin a rulemaking process to determine the feasibility of certain safety and access requirements for school buses.
(Sec. 7) Prohibits a local educational agency, and any contractor providing transportation services to such agency, from employing a person as a school bus driver before the completion of a background check in the national criminal history background check system. Requires State criminal background check procedures to meet the guidelines set forth in the National Child Protection Act of 1993.
Declares that no local educational agency or contractor providing it with transportation services shall be liable in an action for damages on the basis of a criminal conviction of a person employed as a school bus driver if a criminal background check was conducted but the conviction was not disclosed.
Authorizes State and Federal fees (not exceeding actual cost) for assistance in the conduct of such checks.
(Sec. 8) Requires the Secretary to: (1) issue a notice of proposed rulemaking with respect to minimum reporting criteria on traffic-related deaths and injuries under State highway safety programs; and (2) issue a final rule establishing such criteria.
(Sec. 9) Directs the Secretary to enter into an agreement with the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences to study and report to specified congressional committees on the safety issues attendant to transportation of school children to and from school and school-related activities by various transportation modes.
(Sec. 10) Directs the Secretary to carry out a pilot program to assess the benefits of equipping school buses with Aaron Gordon type flight attendant double shoulder harness mechanisms or other safety restraint devices providing equal or greater passenger protection. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to one school district for equipping school buses with such safety restraint devices.
(Sec. 11) Authorizes appropriations.