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SB 1970

SCH BD-ELECTRIC SCH BUS GRANT

104th Regular Session Introduced by Mike Simmons-Gessesse and 2 co-sponsors

Illinois districts get a $125,000 voucher toward a full-size electric school bus purchase, funded by annual appropriations and district cost sharing.

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Bill Summary · SB 1970

Summary of SB 1970 – SCH BD-ELECTRIC SCH BUS GRANT

Purpose and Context

SB 1970 proposes a State Board of Education (ISBE) grant program to accelerate replacing aging diesel/propane/CNG school buses with electric school buses (ESBs). Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, ISBE would award school districts a $125,000 voucher toward the purchase price of a full-size electric school bus, with the district responsible for paying the remaining cost from its own funds. The measure is subject to appropriation and would require ISBE to establish an annual grant cycle and related rules.

Key Provisions

  • Definition of ESB: A battery-powered electric bus operated solely by electricity, with zero tailpipe emissions of CO2 and pollutants.
  • Grant Amount: Each grant is a voucher of $125,000 applied toward the total purchase price of an ESB.
  • Disbursement: The $125,000 voucher is disbursed to the district when the district appropriates the remaining balance of the ESB’s purchase price from its own budget.
  • Funding Condition: Grants are contingent on an appropriation for the relevant fiscal year.
  • Eligibility for Grants:
    • The district must purchase a full-size ESB (66 passengers or more) to replace an old bus.
    • The old bus being replaced must be 2014 model year or older; owned with no liens; Class C or D; 66 passengers or more; used for at least one year; decommissioned and not resold immediately after replacement.
    • The district must not have a current or pending application for EPA’s Beneficiary Mitigation Plan in the 2025-2026 year.
  • Annual Applications: ISBE must disseminate an annual grant application process and establish procedures for submitting requests and issuing vouchers.
  • Priority in Shortfalls: If grant funds in a given year are insufficient to fund all applications, priority is given to districts designated as Tier 1 or Tier 2 that do not currently have any electric school buses (per the code’s Tier system).
  • Application Details: Applications must include the number of ESBs and fossil-fuel buses currently possessed and a plan for maintenance, charging, and storing the ESB.
  • Rules and Implementation: ISBE may adopt rules necessary to implement the section.
  • Effective Date: Immediate upon becoming law.

Who is Affected

  • Primary beneficiaries: Illinois local school districts seeking to replace aging buses with ESBs.
  • District requirements: Must plan for maintenance, charging, and storage; ensure old buses meet eligibility criteria; coordinate with the district budget to fund the remaining purchase price.
  • ISBE and State Government: Responsible for administering the grant program, processing applications, and disbursing vouchers (subject to appropriation).

Procedural/Timeline Aspects

  • Introduced February 6, 2025; referrals and committee actions followed by Rule 3-9(a) re-referral to Assignments.
  • The bill is currently listed as Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments, indicating ongoing committee consideration.
  • Timeline for annual grant cycles would be established by ISBE through rules once the bill is in effect.
  • Effective date: immediate, if enacted.

Potential Impact

  • Accelerates adoption of ESBs by reducing net purchase cost through a fixed voucher.
  • Encourages districts without existing ESBs (Tier 1/Tier 2) to transition to electric fleets.
  • Creates a fiscally contingent mechanism—funding depends on annual appropriations.
  • May influence districts’ fleet replacement planning, maintenance, and budgeting cycles.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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