SB2303

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2303
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to school bus services.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the department of education provides bus services in neighborhoods across the State to ensure broad access to educational opportunities for Hawaii's students, serving approximately twelve thousand student riders on Oahu and thirteen thousand student riders on the neighbor islands. However, due to the continuing shortage of qualified school bus drivers in the State, student bus transportation services have been completely or partially suspended at ten Oahu's high schools and four schools on Kauai in the 2023-2024 school year. Of the sixty-one bus routes on Oahu and seventeen bus routes on Kauai that were cancelled, only one route on Oahu and nine routes on Kauai have been restored. Additionally, high school bus routes on Maui and Hawaii island have been modified due to the bus driver shortages.

The legislature further finds that while the department of education is in the process of restoring these services, it is essential to develop comprehensive standards for the department to determine when and how school bus services may be reduced or modified to ensure that these decisions are made with the utmost consideration for reasonable accommodation, equity, and prioritization of students who live beyond a certain distance from school.

The purpose of this Act is to establish comprehensive standards for the department of education related to school bus services to ensure reasonable accommodation, equitable access, timely communication, and accountability.

SECTION 2. Section 302A-406, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending its title and subsection (a) to read as follows:

"§302A-406 Transportation of school children[.]; comprehensive standards. (a) The department may provide suitable transportation to and from school and for educational field trips for all children in grades kindergarten to twelve and in special education classes. The department shall adopt policies, procedures, and programs as it deems necessary to provide suitable transportation[.] and meet the following comprehensive standards:

(1) The department shall conduct an equity assessment before making any decisions related to school bus service reductions or modifications; provided that the equity assessment evaluates the potential impact on different communities and takes into account factors such as distance to school, socio-economic status, and geographic challenges;

(2) The department shall establish a prioritization system that gives preference to students who live beyond a certain distance from school; provided that the distance threshold shall be determined through a collaborative process involving the department, educational experts, and community representatives;

(3) The department shall provide reasonable accommodation for students who may be disproportionately affected by bus service changes due to disabilities, special needs, or other unique circumstances; provided that such accommodation may include alternative transportation arrangements and support services;

(4) The department shall engage with affected communities, parents, and relevant stakeholders when considering changes to school bus services through public hearings and community feedback mechanisms to ensure transparency and gather input from those directly impacted;

(5) The department shall establish specific timelines for notifying families of any planned changes to school bus services;

(6) The department shall make decisions regarding school bus service based on comprehensive data and ridership statistics to ensure that service reductions are justified and not solely based on arbitrary criteria;

(7) In cases where school bus service must be reduced, the department shall develop and communicate alternative transportation plans, including details on routes, schedules, and eligibility criteria for these alternative options;

(8) The department shall establish a clear and accessible appeals process for families who believe they have been unfairly impacted by changes in school bus service;

(9) The department shall allocate resources in a manner that prioritizes equitable access to transportation services across all regions and communities within the State; and

(10) The department shall conduct periodic evaluations of the effectiveness of the standards set forth in paragraphs (1) through (9), including making necessary adjustments to improve the equity, communication, and accommodation of school bus services over time."

SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________