RELATING TO PUBLIC ASSISTANCE; DONATING CERTAIN PUBLIC SCHOOL BUSES TO THE NEW MEXICO WORKS PROGRAM.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. A new section of the New Mexico Works Act is enacted to read:

"SCHOOL BUSES--NEW MEXICO WORKS ACT.--

A. The state transportation director of the state transportation division of the state department of public education shall identify any available school buses that have completed their twelve-year cycle and any other school buses that are no longer needed by school districts and donate them to the public transportation programs bureau of the state highway and transportation department pursuant to Section 13-6-1 NMSA 1978.

B. The state board of education shall encourage school bus contractors to donate or transfer school buses that have completed their twelve-year cycle and any other school buses that are no longer needed by the school bus contractors to the public transportation programs bureau.

C. The public transportation programs bureau shall:

(1) use donated school buses to transport participants enrolled in New Mexico Works Act programs to work-related activities; and

(2) use transferred school buses in areas of the state that lack public transportation."