SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois General Assembly has passed legislation that would require school districts statewide to consider school bus safety and comfort for passengers before awarding contracts to the lowest bidder.

House Bill 4029 includes provisions for contracts related to various aspects of education, including bus service.

Under the legislation, school bus contracts must be advertised in the same manner as competitive bids and awarded by first considering the bidder or bidders most able to provide safety and comfort for students, stability of service and other factors that are set forth in the request for proposal regarding quality of service. Then price may be considered.

All competitive bids for contracts that involve expenditure of more than $25,000, or a lower amount per school board policy, must be sealed by the bidder and opened by a member or employee of the school board at a public bid opening at which the contents of the bid must be announced.

Each bidder must receive at least three days’ notice of the time and place of the bid opening.   

The bill now awaits approval or veto from Gov. Pat Quinn.