2 Long Island moms with health issues fight to change school bus rules

MERRICK (WABC) -- Two Long Island moms are fighting for an exemption in bus service rules, saying it is a burden for families when parents face serious health issues and can't get their kids to school.

Tara Notrica, of Merrick, has a rare disorder that can cause her to go into anaphylactic shock at any time. She said her blood pressure could drop to the point where she could potentially pass out.

Her kids are grown now, but when they were younger, Notrica had to figure out how to get them to school. It was only a half a mile away, but Notrica didn't feel safe driving them. Under New York State law, school districts don't have to provide transportation to kids who live within two miles of their school.

"We spent many years paying for private transportation for them," Notrica said. "The costs were phenomenal."

Notrica has helped get a bill introduced in Albany that guarantees bus transportation, no matter the distance within the district, for kids whose parents have chronic illnesses and cannot drive them.

"I wouldn't want other families to go through the struggles we did," Notrica said.

Amy Mogel, another local mother who suffers from a neurological disorder, first introduced the bill many years ago. But it was vetoed by Governor David Paterson and then again by Governor Andrew Cuomo in 2012.

Mogel also struggled to get her kids to school, and she is hopeful the bill will pass this legislative session, which ends next week.

"This is a long time coming," Mogel said. "Everyone is so concerned about being PC and correct, and here this is something so simple that they can do."

The sponsor of the bill in the senate says he's "very confident" it will pass by the end of the session.