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2013 SESSION

13100624D
SENATE BILL NO. 900
Offered January 9, 2013
Prefiled January 4, 2013
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 22.1-131 and 22.1-177 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the sale of advertising space on school property and school buses.
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Patron-- Reeves
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Referred to Committee on Education and Health
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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That §§ 22.1-131 and 22.1-177 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 22.1-131. Boards may permit use of various school property; general conditions.

A school board may permit the use, upon such terms and conditions as it deems proper, of such school property as will not impair the efficiency of the schools. The school board may authorize the division superintendent to permit use of the school property, including buildings, grounds, vehicles, and other property, under such conditions as it deems will not impair the efficiency of the schools and are, therefore, proper. The division superintendent shall report to the school board at the end of each month his actions under this section. Permitted uses of buildings may include, but are not limited to, use as voting places in any primary, regular, or special election and operation of a local or regional library pursuant to an agreement between the school board and a library board created as provided in § 42.1-35.

A school board may sell commercial advertising space on the exterior of buildings or real property. Every advertisement placed on school property shall be age-appropriate and consistent with the Standards of Quality set forth in Chapter 13.2 (§ 22.1-253.13:1 et seq.). No advertisement placed on school property shall promote any substance or activity that is illegal for minors, such as alcohol, tobacco, drugs, or gambling; promote any business or activity that may be inappropriate for minors, such as a tattoo parlor or an R-rated or X-rated movie; promote any religion or political party, candidate, or issue; or contain sexual material. Each advertiser shall pay the cost of placing and removing its own advertisements. The school board shall devote the revenue from the sale of advertising space to the maintenance or construction of school buildings.

§ 22.1-177. Regulations.

The Board may make regulations relating to the construction, design, operation, equipment, and color of public school buses and shall have the authority to issue an order prohibiting the operation on public streets and highways of any public school bus which that does not comply with such regulations. Any such order shall be enforced by the Department of State Police.

Local school boards may, notwithstanding any regulation to the contrary, display decals depicting the flag of the United States on the sides and rear of school buses as long as any such decal does not obstruct the name of the school division or the number of the school bus and is no larger than 100 square inches. In addition, local school boards may, notwithstanding any regulation to the contrary, display decals relating to local school division bus safety hotlines. Local school divisions shall be responsible for the cost of the decals bearing the number of such safety hotline. Such decal shall not obstruct the name of the school division or the number of the school bus.

A school board may sell commercial advertising space on the exterior sides of school buses as long as any such advertising does not obstruct the name of the school division or the number of the school bus and occupies no more than 35 percent of the area of each side of the school bus. Every advertisement placed on a school bus shall be age-appropriate and consistent with the Standards of Quality set forth in Chapter 13.2 (§ 22.1-253.13:1 et seq.). No advertisement placed on a school bus shall promote any substance or activity that is illegal for minors, such as alcohol, tobacco, drugs, or gambling; promote any business or activity that may be inappropriate for minors, such as a tattoo parlor or an R-rated or X-rated movie; promote any religion or political party, candidate, or issue; or contain sexual material. Each advertiser shall pay the cost of placing and removing its own advertisements. The local school board shall devote the revenue from the sale of advertising space on school buses to the cost of providing for the transportation of pupils.

No regulation of the Board shall unreasonably limit the authority of any local school division to purchase and use school buses using compressed natural gas or other alternative fuels or convert its school buses to use compressed natural gas or other alternative fuels.