School districts may sue to reinstate bus inspections

LANSING — School officials are pushing back against the state legislature and Gov. Jennifer Granholm over recent funding cuts to school bus inspections.

Not only is that push-back in the form of pressure from lobbying groups like Michigan Association of School Administrators and the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators, but MASA spokesman Brad Biladeau tells Michigan Messenger he expects some districts to file suit as early as Friday morning.

Those lawsuits would seek to force the Michigan State Police to continue funding the operation of its school bus inspection program. That program, according a press release from MASA and MAISA, is in the process of being shut down. The two groups say the law is quite clear that buses have to be inspected, thus making the closure and de-funding of the program improper.

Biladeau was uncertain which districts where planning to sue. MASA is unable to sue the state over the matter because it is not directly affected by the closure of the state police’s inspection unit.

“The State Police are refusing to fulfill their statutory obligation and are putting our children in danger,” said William Mayes, executive director of MASA in a statement. “The language of the law is unambiguous; the State Police SHALL inspect each school bus annually.”

The law in question not only mandates the inspections — without providing a funding mechanism — it also prohibits any school district from operating a school bus or taking possession of one without approval and inspection of the Michigan State Police.

Districts and their insurance carriers have indicated that without safety inspections, it is possible insurers could drop coverage of buses for districts. MASA also says that bus manufacturers are concerned the lack of inspection could lead districts to refuse to take possession, and thus pay for, buses they have ordered.