(a) The department shall refuse to issue or shall revoke a schoolbus, school pupil activity bus, general public paratransit vehicle, or youth bus driver certificate, or a certificate for a vehicle used for the transportation of developmentally disabled persons, if any of the following causes apply to the applicant or certificate holder:

(1) Has been convicted of a sex offense as defined in Section 44010 of the Education Code.

(2) Has been convicted, within two years, of an offense specified in Section 11361.5 of the Health and Safety Code.

(3) Has failed to meet prescribed training requirements for certificate issuance.

(4) Has failed to meet prescribed testing requirements for certificate issuance.

(5) Has been convicted of a violent felony listed in subdivision (c) of Section 667.5 of the Penal Code, or a serious felony listed in subdivision (c) of Section 1192.7 of the Penal Code. This paragraph shall not be applied to revoke a license that was valid on January 1, 2005, unless the certificate holder is convicted for an offense that is committed on or after that date.

(b) The department may refuse to issue or renew, or may suspend or revoke a schoolbus, school pupil activity bus, general public paratransit vehicle, or youth bus driver certificate, or a certificate for a vehicle used for the transportation of developmentally disabled persons, if any of the following causes apply to the applicant or certificate holder:

(1) Has been convicted of a crime specified in Section 44424 of the Education Code within seven years. This paragraph does not apply if denial is mandatory.

(2) Has committed an act involving moral turpitude.

(3) Has been convicted of an offense, not specified in this section and other than a sex offense, that is punishable as a felony, within seven years.

(4) Has been dismissed as a driver for a cause relating to pupil transportation safety.

(5) Has been convicted, within seven years, of an offense relating to the use, sale, possession, or transportation of narcotics, habit-forming drugs, or dangerous drugs, except as provided in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a).

(6) Has been reported to the Department of Motor Vehicles, pursuant to Section 39843 of the Education Code, for leaving a pupil unattended on a schoolbus, school pupil activity bus, or youth bus.

(c) (1) Reapplication following refusal or revocation under paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of subdivision (a) or any paragraph of subdivision (b) may be made after a period of not less than one year after the effective date of refusal or revocation.

(2) Reapplication following refusal or revocation under paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) may be made after a period of not less than 45 days after the date of the applicant’s third testing failure.

(3) An applicant or holder of a certificate may reapply for a certificate whenever a felony or misdemeanor conviction is reversed or dismissed. A termination of probation and dismissal of charges pursuant to Section 1203.4 of the Penal Code or a dismissal of charges pursuant to Section 1203.4a of the Penal Code is not a dismissal for purposes of this section.

(4) A former applicant or holder of a certificate whose certificate was revoked pursuant to paragraph (6) of subdivision (b) may reapply for a certificate if the certificate revocation is reversed or dismissed by the department.

(Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 721, Sec. 6. (SB 1072) Effective January 1, 2017.)