You might be surprised to learn that your tax dollars are used to pay for public school buses to go through toll booths. 

Right now there's an effort by some to end this, there was a bill written, however it did not get heard this legislative session.

This is the bill written by Representative Linda Stewart. On a state level, it would have allowed public school buses to pass through toll booths without paying.

It wasn’t heard this session but it’s not stopping her fight to make changes on the local level.

Students at Howard Middle School are disappointed a bill they supported did not get heard this legislative session.

We asked 13-year-old Howard Middle Student Caroline Casola for her thoughts, “I thought it was pretty basic, but after doing this so much, I’m like wow, it takes a lot.”

The bill would have allowed public school buses to pass through toll booths for free, but again, the bill was not heard this session.

Now the bill’s author -- State Representative Linda Stewart -- says she plans on meeting with Orange County Expressway Authorities to convince them to change the rules.

According to the expressway authority only police, firefighters and other first responders are allowed to pass through tolls without paying.

Some would like to see the same exception for public school buses.

School leaders say it would save 200-thousand dollars.

Stewart is standing firmly behind her bill, “I just don’t see any need to send money to the schools and then have them turn around and have them have to send it to a tolling agency.”

Leaders with the Orange County Expressway Authority were not available for an on camera interview.

However, they say they don’t oppose the idea of school buses not paying tolls, but they need to look at the issue further with their lawyers.

Some fear that if you make the exception for schools – then other government agencies would want to be exempted too.

But Representative Stewart says she plans on meeting with expressway authority along with Orange County school district to talk about the issue.

Howard middle school will be watching closely.

We also learned that Osceola County School district has an exception in place -- their school buses can use the Osceola Parkway for free – but public school buses are encouraged not to use the toll roads.