Any child attending a nonpublic school may ride a school bus when a permit to ride the school bus is secured from the operating district by the parent or guardian of the nonpublic school child and when there is seating capacity available on the school bus. When a nonpublic school child rides a school bus, the operating district may charge the child a proportionate share, as determined by the trustees, of the cost of operating the school bus. Money realized from the payments must be deposited to the credit of the transportation fund.
§ 20-10-123, MCA