School Bus Transition - Propane-Powered School Buses - Grant Program, Fund, and Purchase

HB 1019 creates a grant program and dedicated fund to help Maryland school districts transition from diesel school buses to either propane-powered or zero-emission buses. The program provides grants to cover the extra costs of purchasing or operating these cleaner buses, as well as for infrastructure installation (for zero-emission buses), planning, and pilot programs. Funding comes from state appropriations, interest earnings, donations, and legal settlements specifically earmarked for this purpose. The bill updates existing law to explicitly include propane-powered buses in the transition program, which previously only covered zero-emission vehicles.