OAR 581-053-0050: Driving and Criminal Records

(1) The Oregon Department of Education shall review the driving record of each applicant for certification or approval as a school bus or school activity driver. Applicants who have held a driver license in a state other than Oregon anytime during the preceding three-year period may be required to furnish a copy of the driving record from each state or other jurisdiction’s driver licensing agency in which the applicant has held a driver license to ODE. If the driver currently holds a driver license from another state or other jurisdiction, the driving record shall be printed no more than 30 days prior to the date received by ODE. (2) ODE shall review the criminal record of each applicant for certification or approval as a school bus or school activity driver. (3) An applicant does not qualify as a school bus or school activity driver if the applicant: (a) Has ever been convicted of a crime listed in ORS 342.143 (Forever Crime); or, (b) Is currently subject to mandatory registration reporting as a sex offender in this state or any other jurisdiction; or, (c) Has ever been convicted of a crime involving violence, threat of violence or theft. This shall not apply if the applicant or driver has been free from custody, probation and parole for the preceding three-year period from date of application; or, (d) Has ever been convicted of a crime involving activity in drugs or alcoholic beverages. This shall not apply if the applicant or driver has been free from custody, probation, and parole for the preceding three-year period from date of application; or, (e) Has had his or her driving privileges suspended by any state or other jurisdiction, within the preceding three-year period, for a cause involving the unsafe operation of a motor vehicle or because of driving record. (f) Is required to use an ignition interlock device (IID). (g) Has been convicted within the preceding three-year period of: (A) Driving under the influence of intoxicants, as defined in ORS 813.010; (B) Reckless driving, as defined in ORS 811.140; (C) Fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, as defined in under ORS 811.540; (D) Failure to perform the duties of a driver involved in an accident or collision which results in injury or death of any person, as described in ORS 811.705; or (E) An equivalent out of state conviction for any of the above. (h) Has had his or her driving privileges revoked or suspended as a habitual offender under ORS 809.600. This shall not apply if applicant or driver has had his or her driving privileges restored under ORS 809.660 for the preceding three years; (i) Has a driving record for the preceding three-year period that has an accumulation of 31 or more points based upon the following point system: (A) Each chargeable accident shall have a value of 10 points. Applicable traffic code and preventability guidelines published by the National Safety Council and the Pupil Transportation Safety Institute may be used to determine if an accident is chargeable; and (B) Each of the traffic violations on Table 1 shall have a value of 10 points. (C) One point shall be subtracted from the total number of points for each full month, since the last chargeable accident or conviction, to the time of driving record check; however, all subtracted points will be reinstated if any additional qualifying convictions or chargeable accidents occur within the three-year calculation period. [ED. NOTE: Tables referenced are available from the agency.]