PASCO COUNTY, Fla — A Pasco County mother of three spent the day in Tallahassee to push for changes to House Bill 85, which was introduced by Republican Representative Kim Kendall.
If passed, the bill could lead to school districts, like Pasco County, changing their bus policy to offer courtesy buses to middle and high school students who live within two miles of their school.
“My 11-year-old child called me from the side of the road after she was hit by a car and the driver left her,” said Jennifer Reznick.
The crash happened back on September 4 around 6:50 in the morning. Reznick, a school nurse in Pinellas County, was on her way to work when her daughter called her. It was one of her biggest fears, and she had been expressing her concerns since she heard about the district’s plan to change the bus policy.
“I see what these roads look like here,” she said. “I don’t want to be on these roads as a 42 year-old adult. Why are we putting our kids on these roads if adults don’t want to be there?”
Pasco school leaders said they were forced to make the change due to the bus driver shortage. The first change was school start times, but students were still getting to school late. The district isn’t required to offer courtesy bussing, and it doesn’t pay for it.
That’s where Kendall’s proposal to change HB85 comes in. It will change the definition of hazardous walking conditions to include certain walkways, along state highways, freeways and expressways.
Reznick believes, if it comes law, the district will have to change the policy and provide courtesy buses to all students who live within two miles, not just elementary school. Students.
“Please, this bill is going to save lives,” she said. “Please amend it so parents have the right to go back to our districts and have them evaluate our children’s walkways to school.”
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