BOSTON (April 17, 2008) — A Massachusetts bill prohibiting school buses and other vehicles from idling longer than necessary on school grounds has passed out of the senate and will soon be heard by the house.

Senate Bill 2628 does not specify how long vehicles can idle, but cites defrosting, heating and cooling and the use of auxiliary equipment as acceptable reasons to keep engines running. Rather, the bill requires the registrar of motor vehicles, the department of education, the department of environmental protection, the executive office of public safety and the executive office of health and human services to adopt a specific policy.

According to regional press, at least 40 communities have joined a voluntary idle reduction program led by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.

If passed by the house and signed by the Gov. Deval Patrick, Massachusetts would join New York, Ohio and Vermont in banning or limiting idling. Last year, Texas Gov. Rick Perry vetoed a similar bill that won strong support in both the state's house and senate.

Representatives from Massachusetts' student transportation associations were not available for comment at the time of this writing.