1. The board of education of any district may, pursuant to rules adopted by it, permit the use of school buses owned or leased by the school district for the purpose of transporting senior citizens’ groups to and from events within its district or in any contiguous district, for transporting citizens with disabilities in any district, and for transporting children and adults participating in a recreation or other program operated by the municipality or municipalities in which the district is located or the municipality in which any constituent district of a regional school district is located; provided that each use of school buses for these purposes is approved by the board; provided that such use of school buses shall not interfere with the transportation of school pupils; and provided that school buses so used shall be operated only by persons licensed as bus drivers. The board shall require groups seeking such use of school buses to pay all or part of any costs incurred by the district in permitting such use, including but not limited to the costs of fuel, driver salaries, insurance, and depreciation.

L.1977, c.5, s.1; amended 1979, c.403, s.2; 1989, c.136, s.2; 2017, c.131, s.31.