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Tighter Qualifications for New York School Bus Drivers

By Dave Lucas

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-982250.mp3

Albany, NY – New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a law Tuesday banning people convicted of sexual crimes involving children from driving school buses in the state... Capital District Bureau Chief Dave Lucas reports.

The new law bans convicted sex offenders, sex traffickers, those who have lured children and people convicted of manslaughter, among others, from being school bus drivers. Republican Senator John Bonacic co-sponsored the legislation with Democratic Assemblyman J. Gary Pretlow .

Back in January, David Moraca dashed off a letter to the editor of the Daily Freeman, pointing out that penal code violations regarding bus driver disqualifications hadn't been updated for more than a decade. Under the old law, a person convicted of either killing someone through reckless driving or promoting prostitution was disqualified from becoming a school bus driver for five years. Those convictions now carry a permanent disqualification.

Governor Cuomo reamrked "This law will protect our children by making sure those convicted of sexual offenses and other serious crimes are disqualified from becoming school bus drivers."

The crimes listed include:

Aggravated manslaughter in the first or second degree

Sexual abuse in the first degree

Course of sexual conduct against a child in the first or second degree

Facilitating a sex offense with a controlled substance

Predatory sexual assault

Sex trafficking

Disseminating indecent materials to minors in the first degree Use of a child in a sexual performance

Promoting or possessing a sexual performance by a child

Aggravated assault upon a child less than 11 years old

Luring a child

Persistent sexual abuse

Aggravated criminally negligent homicide

Criminal sale of a controlled substance in or near school grounds

David Moraca says that he is glad that he wrote that "letter to the editor" - The new law takes effect in February 2012.