Democratic Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly joined John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) to introduce a new bill they say will address the nationwide shortage of school bus drivers. Many Arizona school districts have struggled to maintain a full staff of drivers.
Kelly’s office says a significant barrier for new bus drivers is the “Under-the-Hood” testing requirement. It says holders of a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) must be able to lift the hood of a school bus and identify engine parts and functions.
Kelly says the rule is mainly for the long-haul trucking industry and adds an additional three to four days of training time on average. The Driving Forward Act would exempt new school bus drivers from that requirement.
Kelly says because school bus drivers must remain on the bus with students at all times, the change won’t have any effect on the safety level of school bus operations.
“Kids in Arizona deserve to get to school safe and on time,” Kelly said. “This bipartisan bill cuts red tape to help more people become school bus drivers, directly addressing driver shortages and making the drive to school a better one.”
If a school bus breaks down, trained mechanics would complete roadside diagnostics and repairs.
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Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem held a press conference in metro Phoenix to advocate for the SAVE Act, legislation that would require Americans to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote — something that’s already state law in Arizona. -
Arizona and the six other states that use the Colorado River do not have a new plan to share the shrinking water supply. -
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors will re-issue subpoenas requiring Recorder Justin Heap’s staff to testify about conflicting voter disenfranchisement claims after a judge allows a court order blocking the subpoenas to expire next week. -
Arizonans are speaking out after the Trump administration announced it would rescind the key scientific finding that allows the Environmental Protection Agency to put limits on carbon pollution. -
Community members and activists gathered outside the Arizona Capitol to call for the continuation of independent oversight of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office connected to a nearly 20-year-old racial profiling case against the department.
