HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 851        FILED ON: 1/13/2009

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3307

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act relative to school buses..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1.  Section 7B of chapter 90 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the last paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:-

No person shall operate a moving school bus while using any electronic communication except in the case of an emergency.  For the propose of this paragraph, an emergency shall mean that the operator of the school bus needs to communicate with another to report any of the following:-

That the school bus is disabled

That medical attention or assistance is required for a passenger on the bus.

That police intervention is necessary for the personal safety of a passenger or to otherwise ensure the safety of the passengers.

The presence of a disabled vehicle or accident in the roadway.

To convey pertinent information that is needed on an immediate basis.

SECTION 2.  Section 14 of said chapter 90, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “red” in line 19 the following words:- or yellow.