SB191 Summary

• Establishes the Lieutenant Dexter Holcomb Act requiring school bus drivers to pass a physical examination by a licensed physician before employment and every two years thereafter.

• Specifies 13 physical and mental qualification standards including vision (20/40 Snellen), hearing, limb functionality, cardiovascular health, respiratory function, diabetes control, epilepsy status, and substance use restrictions.

• Requires newly hired drivers to pass the examination at their own expense before operating a school bus and mandates existing drivers pass within three months of the act's effective date.

• Allows drivers with valid Alabama school bus certificates to be grandfathered in for any condition if they submit a signed physician statement that the condition will not impair their ability to safely operate a bus.

• Results of physical examinations must be documented on State Department of Education forms and maintained in the department's central office; failure to comply results in loss of the driver's Alabama School Bus Driver Certificate.