Any person found by police to possess or be under the influence of alcohol while operating a school bus could be charged with a Class I misdemeanor under a bill proposed last month.

Like in most states, the legal limit for intoxication while driving in Virginia is 0.08. Del. Ben Cline wants to remove any loopholes, at least for school bus drivers, following an incident recently in Richmond when a substitute school driver allegedly drank beer at lunch before driving an afternoon route, and later evaded a child-endangerment charge because he only blew a 0.03 on a breathalyzer test.

If HB 1353 is successful, a school bus driver convicted of any alcohol consumption before or during a trip could face a year in jail and/or a fine of up to $2,500. A subcommittee unanimously passed the report to the full Committee for Courts and Justice.