Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §2301, sub-§§1-A, 1-B and 6 are enacted to read:

1-A.__Allowable alternate vehicle.__"Allowable alternate vehicle" means a vehicle designed to carry 11 or more people, including the driver, that meets all the federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards of 49 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 571, or as subsequently amended, that are applicable to school buses, except for those provisions pertaining to lamps, reflective devices and associated equipment in 49 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 571.108 and those provisions pertaining to school bus pedestrian safety devices in 49 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 571.131.

1-B.__Full service transportation provider.__"Full service transportation provider" has the same meaning as defined in rules adopted by the Department of Human Services pertaining to transportation services for health care providers.

6.__Urban fixed-route transit provider.__"Urban fixed-route transit provider" means a transit district or a regional transportation corporation, as defined in Title 30-A, section 3501, that provides public transportation within one or more municipalities on prescribed routes at prescribed times.

Sec. 2. 29-A MRSA §2309, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read:

§2309. Exemptions from subchapter

A vehicle with a carrying capacity of 20 or fewer passengers used to transport children to day care or head start facilities is, a full service transportation provider, an urban fixed-route transit provider, and an allowable alternate vehicle are exempt from this subchapter.

SUMMARY

This bill adds 3 exemptions to the laws pertaining to equipment, operator and inspection standards for school buses. Specifically, the bill exempts from those standards vehicles designed to carry 11 or more people, including the driver, that meet the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards applicable to school buses, Medicaid-enrolled transportation providers who perform transportation services described in the MaineCare Benefits Manual as adopted by the Department of Human Services and transit districts or regional transportation corporations