Legislation to make it easier for school districts to evaluate electric school bus options moves to the Governor’s desk with overwhelming bipartisan support.
PHOENIX, June 24, 2022 — National business group Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) commended the Arizona legislature’s passage of SB 1246, which will improve the ability of Arizona schools to access cost-saving transportation services. The bill, proposed by Senator Paul Boyer (R-Glendale) and sponsored by AEE, was passed unopposed by the Senate late last night and approved by the House with bipartisan support and is poised to make it easier for school districts to evaluate electric vehicle school buses and charging options.
“This mandate-free bill will make it easier for Arizona schools to access the fuel and maintenance savings that electric school buses provide,” said Shelby Stults, Arizona policy lead at Advanced Energy Economy. “SB 1246 gives local schools pre-vetted resources on existing bus vendors to help them to make well-informed decisions with taxpayer dollars and, ultimately, get students on the buses they want faster.”
“We should make it as easy as possible for Arizona schools to choose the transportation option that’s right for their students,” said Education Committee Chairman Senator Boyer. “As an educator, I’m all too familiar with the constraints schools and administrators face when budgets are stretched thin. That’s why SB 1246 is designed to save administrators time and money by ensuring schools have vetted, safe school bus vendors that are reviewed by our state School Bus Advisory Council Committee to speed up the procurement process.”
“Bipartisan support in the House and unanimous support in the Senate proves that this a practical approach for saving schools time and money,” continued Stults. “A recent poll also showed that more than two-thirds of Arizonans support investments in electric school buses. The widespread support should send a strong message that Arizonans want to make it easier for schools to get the resources they need, and AEE looks forward to working with policymakers to ensure Arizonans have access to the most innovative and affordable school transportation offerings available to them.”
“Background Materials