COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina House recently voted to form a committee to study privatizing the state’s school bus fleet, The Charlotte Observer reports.

Studying the issue is a compromise after no consensus could be reached to require the state’s school districts to take over operation of their own bus systems. (South Carolina currently owns and operates its own school bus fleet.) Under the privatization proposal (House Bill 4610), districts could either operate their fleets themselves or contract operations out to private companies.

The House Ways and Means Committee’s Property Tax Subcommittee proposed the study as an amendment to the privatization bill. The study committee would consist of nine members: three appointed by the speaker of the House, three appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate and three appointed by the governor.

Committee members would look into the most cost-effective, efficient and safe way to provide school transportation services to students in grades K-12 utilizing state and local resources and funding. The committee would be required to submit its report to each house of the General Assembly and the governor no later than Jan. 1, 2013.

The study committee proposal will undergo a procedural vote and then head to the state Senate for consideration, according to The Charlotte Observer.

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