Assemblyman Matt Simpson (R,C-Horicon) joined Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,C-Corning) and other members of the Assembly and Senate Minority Conferences at a press conference in the Capitol to introduce legislation (A.8447) allowing school districts more flexibility in the wake of the current state mandate requiring school districts to purchase and lease zero-emission buses starting in 2027. It is yet to be determined if the mandate is feasible given the established timeline, especially for upstate and rural school districts that face different constraints from their downstate peers. Today’s legislation would delay the 2027 mandates to 2045, allowing school districts an appropriate amount of time to address the financial infrastructure constraints that come with transitioning entire fleets of heavy-duty vehicles to zero-emission vehicles.

“Though amicable in its intention, mandating every school in the state to convert their fleets to zero-emission buses starting in 2027 neglects the significant expenses and logistics that come with such an ask. Many upstate school districts that already grapple with budget constraints do not even have the infrastructure to support electric buses, which poses a serious risk in the winter months. It is essential the state develops a detailed cost-benefit analysis to address feasibility before implementing what is currently a lofty deadline,” said Simpson.