Private Acts of 1941 Chapter 229

SECTION 1. That the County School Authorities in all counties of this State having a population of not less than 11,970, nor more than 11,985 according to the Federal Census of 1940, or any subsequent Federal Census, shall have the right and authority to establish a tenure for drivers of school buses in such counties; and they are hereby given the right and authority to contract with drivers of school buses to drive school buses in such counties, for periods of five (5) years at a time, or any fractional part thereof, at their discretion, a year being defined as the school year or the length of the school term.

SECTION 2. That drivers of school buses employed or contracted with to drive school buses under this Act, be and they shall be required to conform to all the laws of the State of Tennessee, and abide by and be subject to all the rules and regulations which have been or which may hereafter be adopted by the State Board of Education, including but not limited to the type of bus to be used in transporting pupils to and from schools and with respect to personal qualifications.

SECTION 3. That the County School Authorities in all Counties in the State to which this Act applies, may dismiss from service any driver of a school bus employed or contracted with under this Act for improper conduct, inefficient service, neglect of duty, violation of law, or violation of any of the rules and regulations of the State Board of Education, and the right to so dismiss any driver shall be reserved in the contract with such driver, provided that the County School Authorities shall be the judges in all cases coming before them or to their attention under this Act, and provided further that before any driver shall be dismissed from service for any cause, he shall be given at least five (5) days' written notice, mailed to his last known address or served on him personally, notifying him to appear before said County School Authorities at the time and place named in said notice, and show cause, if any he has, why he should not be dismissed from service on charges that have been preferred against him; and he shall be given an opportunity to be present and make defense to said charges, provided further that it is the intention of this act to make the decision of the County School Authorities in all cases coming before them final; and the driver of any school bus shall be made aware of this fact before being employed.

SECTION 4. That if any section or part or parts of any section of this Act shall be declared unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the constitutionality or validity of the remaining portions of this Act, but the same shall remain in full force and effect as if the unconstitutional or invalid part had been omitted.

SECTION 5. That this Act take effect from and after its passage, the public welfare requiring it.

Passed: February 10, 1941.