The Assembly, at the urging of bill sponsor state Assemblyman Anthony D’Urso, pushed through A.10824A, which rectifies a clerical error that would have negatively affected the Port Washington Union Free School District. The bill directs the Department of Education to consider contracts for transportation aid as valid and proper obligations to the school district and allow these contracts to be applied to school bus transportation. The bill has passed both houses and awaits the governor’s signature.
Assemblyman D’Urso pushed through this legislation in order to ensure students had access to transportation in Port Washington for the following school year. As a result of the bill, $800,000 will be allocated for school bus transportation. Students will continue to have the same access to school transportation without undue burden being placed on the school district.
“Access to transportation represents an integral building block in the smooth operation of our school districts,” said D’Urso. “When I heard the school district had a problem, I immediately worked to rectify the issue by sponsoring a bill and urging my colleagues to support it.”
Without the restoration of the transportation aid, the school district would have been faced with cutting the quality and scope of its educational programs and/or raising its taxes. This would have placed an undue burden on residents and present hardships to many in the community.
