§492. Probation and tenure of bus operators

A. Each school bus operator shall serve a probationary term of three years reckoned from the date of his first employment in the city, parish, or other local public school system in which the operator is serving his probation. During the probationary term, the city, parish, or other local public school board may dismiss or discharge any operator upon the written recommendation of the local superintendent of schools accompanied by valid reasons therefor. A school board shall immediately dismiss or discharge an operator who is convicted of or has pled nolo contendere to a violation of a parish or municipal ordinance that prohibits operating a vehicle while intoxicated or any of the following offenses relative to operating a vehicle while intoxicated, regardless of whether the violation occurred while the operator was performing an official duty or responsibility as a school bus operator at the time of the offense:

(1) R.S. 14:98, operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

(2) R.S. 14:32.1, vehicular homicide.

(3) R.S. 14:32.8(A)(2), third degree feticide.

(4) R.S. 14:39.1, vehicular negligent injuring.

(5) R.S. 14:39.2, first degree vehicular negligent injuring.

B. Except as provided in Subsection D of this Section, any school bus operator found unsatisfactory by the school board at the expiration of the probationary term shall be notified in writing by the board that he has been discharged or dismissed; in the absence of such notification such probationary school bus operator shall automatically become a regular and permanent operator in the employ of the school board of the school system in which he has successfully served his probationary term.

C. In order to acquire tenure under the provisions hereof, each school bus operator shall personally operate and drive the school bus he is employed to operate; no one shall acquire tenure in the operation of more than one school bus.

D.(1) The provisions of Subsection B of this Section, relative to a school bus operator becoming a regular and permanent operator, are not applicable to any school bus operator whose date of first employment with the school system is July 1, 2012, or thereafter.

(2) After the expiration of the probationary term provided in Subsection A of this Section, a school bus operator whose date of first employment with a school system is July 1, 2012, or thereafter, may be removed from his position as provided by the personnel policy of the employing school board. A school board shall immediately terminate a school bus operator who is convicted of or has pled nolo contendere to a violation of a parish or municipal ordinance that prohibits operating a vehicle while intoxicated or any of the following offenses relative to operating a vehicle while intoxicated, regardless of whether the violation occurred while the operator was performing an official duty or responsibility as a school bus operator at the time of the offense:

(a) R.S. 14:98, operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

(b) R.S. 14:32.1, vehicular homicide.

(c) R.S. 14:32.8(A)(2), third degree feticide.

(d) R.S. 14:39.1, vehicular negligent injuring.

(e) R.S. 14:39.2, first degree vehicular negligent injuring.

Acts 2012, No. 704, §1, eff. June 11, 2012; Acts 2013, No. 137, §1, eff. July 1, 2013.

NOTE: See Acts 2013, No. 137, §2, relative to the applicability of Act for certain convictions and pleas occurring prior to July 1, 2013.