SB2061

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that there is currently a nationwide school bus driver shortage. At the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year, there were two hundred twenty-six school bus driver vacancies within the department of education, or a thirty per cent shortfall of the current demand of approximately six hundred fifty school bus drivers. While the department of education contracts school bus services to various contractors on multiple islands, driver shortages have resulted in the cancellation, temporary suspension, and consolidation of bus routes.

The legislature also finds that the school bus driver shortage negatively impacts student attendance and causes difficulties for working parents who juggle jobs and school drop-offs. In addition, the lack of affordable school bus options has made it prohibitively expensive to organize school field trips that enrich student learning.

The legislature further finds that the State's severe bus driver shortage is felt disproportionately by families living in rural, underserved areas. The department of education has been forced to implement a series of unconventional programs to provide basic transportation for keiki attending public schools in rural, underserved areas. Some measures taken by the department of education include providing for pay differentials for school bus drivers in rural areas, purchasing free public bus passes for public school students, and authorizing principals or other administrative staff to drive students.

In response to the State's severe bus shortage, the governor issued an emergency proclamation on August 17, 2023, to address the chronic bus driver shortage through October 15, 2023. The emergency proclamation authorized the department of transportation to grant exemptions for the use of vehicles other than school buses to transport students and ensure transportation support for students attending department of education and other independent schools. Despite recent efforts to incentivize individuals to become school bus drivers, more needs to be done to address this critical shortage in the State.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to establish a one-year school bus driver certification subsidy pilot program within the department of education to provide subsidized training and education opportunities for prospective school bus drivers.

SECTION 2. (a) The department of education shall establish and administer a one-year school bus driver certification subsidy pilot program, to subsidize the costs associated with the training and certification of prospective bus drivers to address the ongoing chronic shortage of school bus drivers in the State.

(b) The department of education shall establish:

(1) Eligibility criteria for prospective applicants to participate in the bus driver certification subsidy pilot program, including any qualifications and disqualifications for entry into the pilot program in accordance with federal and state regulations;

(2) A curriculum or training plan for prospective bus drivers to obtain a commercial driver's license, including courses to obtain additional endorsements required to drive a school bus; and

(3) Pathways for existing school van drivers or school bus aides to obtain a commercial driver's license, additional endorsements required to drive a school bus, or training to operate school buses for special education students.

(c) The department of education shall submit an interim report on the development and administration of the school bus driver certification subsidy pilot program, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2025.

(d) The department of education shall submit a final report on the school bus driver certification subsidy pilot program, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2026.

(e) The school bus driver certification subsidy pilot program shall cease to exist at the end of the 2024-2025 school year.

SECTION 3. In accordance with section 9 of article VII of the Hawaii State Constitution and sections 37-91 and 37-93, Hawaii Revised Statutes, the legislature has determined that the appropriations contained in Act 164, Regular Session of 2023, and this Act will cause the state general fund expenditure ceiling for fiscal year 2024-2025 to be exceeded by $ or per cent. This current declaration takes into account general fund appropriations authorized for fiscal year 2024-2025 in Act 164, Regular Session of 2023, and this Act only. The reasons for exceeding the general fund expenditure ceiling are that:

(1) The appropriation made in this Act is necessary to serve the public interest; and

(2) The appropriation made in this Act meets the needs addressed by this Act.

SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 for the bus driver certification subsidy pilot program established pursuant to section 2 of this Act.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2024.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2061
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024
STATE OF HAWAII