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Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following:
‘An Act To Require Newly Purchased Public School Buses To Be Equipped with School Bus Crossing Arms’
Amend the bill by inserting after the title and before the enacting clause the following:
‘
‘Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas,  it is necessary to enact this legislation before model year 2021 school buses become available for purchase to avoid requiring previously purchased school buses to be retrofitted with a school bus crossing arm; and
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,’
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 1 and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 1.  29-A MRSA §2301, sub-§5-C  is enacted to read:
 
5-C.  School bus crossing arm.    "School bus crossing arm" means a device mounted on the front bumper of a school bus that is no shorter than 70 inches and no longer than the width of the school bus and when activated extends outward in front of the school bus to require students who cross the roadway in front of the school bus to maintain a safe distance in front of the school bus.’
Amend the bill in section 2 in §2302 by striking out all of subsection 1-A (page 1, lines 29 and 30 in L.D.) and inserting the following:
 
‘1-A.  School bus crossing arms.    A school bus of model year 2021 or newer must be equipped with a school bus crossing arm.’
Amend the bill by adding before the summary the following:
‘Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.’
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section number to read consecutively.
 
SUMMARY
This amendment, rather than requiring all school buses to be equipped with a school bus crossing arm, requires school buses of model year 2021 or newer to be equipped with a school bus crossing arm. This amendment also clarifies the definition of "school bus crossing arm" and sets the minimum and maximum length of a school bus crossing arm. This amendment also makes the bill an emergency, to take effect when approved.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)