The Legislature has passed a bill to restore school transportation funding, and the North Coast’s legislators are urging Gov. Jerry Brown to sign it.

On Thursday morning SB 81 passed the Assembly, moving on to be heard and passed in both the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee before the full Senate passed it 26-8.

SB 81 seeks to undo the trigger cut made by Gov. Jerry Brown which eliminates funding for the Home-to-School Transportation Program.

The bill would replace the $248 million cut to the transportation program, which disproportionately impacts rural and low income students, with a much smaller, more equitable reduction which impacts all school districts in California.

The midyear cuts amounted to a loss of $875,000 in transportation funding for Lake County schools, according to the Lake County Office of Education.

Both Sen. Noreen Evans and Assemblyman Wes Chesbro, Lake County’s state legislators, are urging the governor to sign the bill.

Following the vote on the bill, Chesbro requested that the bill be fast-tracked in order for it to get to the governor as soon as possible.

“I am grateful that many of my colleagues joined me in getting SB 81 passed so swiftly,” Chesbro said. “Quick passage of this bill is especially important because of the impacts on children and their educational opportunities. Many school districts in my area are considering laying off personnel and some have already sent out pink slips.”

“Children can’t learn if they can’t get to school,” said Evans. “SB 81 was the result of both houses and both sides of the aisle coming together to find a solution that will get kids to school.”

“Today, thousands of parents and students are relieved to hear our leaders agree we must keep our school buses rolling,” said Allan Clark, president of the California School Employees Association. “School buses are by far the safest way to get kids to school, so we hope the governor will quickly sign this bill.”

SB 81 was introduced by the Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, of which Evans is a member.

Home to School Transportation is particularly important to rural schools on the North Coast. Cuts in transportation funding can cause a double hit on school districts’ budgets. Without SB 81, school districts would lose large chunks of transportation funding and then lose out on ADA funding due to students inability to get to school.

“This is the survival of my community," Chesbro added. “The future of these communities depends on educating children and getting them to school.”

SB 81 is headed to the governor for his consideration and will go into effect immediately if it is signed. Brown has reportedly indicated his support for the legislation.

Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Google+, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .