STAND. COM. REP. NO. 285-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 1767

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1767 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SCHOOL BUS SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the use of motorcoaches, small buses, and vans for school bus services if certain conditions are met.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation; Pearl City Neighborhood Board No. 21; Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association; Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization; Kamehameha Schools; and eight individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that the availability of school bus services is essential to student attendance, particularly for families who live in rural and remote areas, as well as students who come from socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. Currently, there is a nationwide shortage of school bus drivers. This shortage is forcing the suspension or partial suspension of school bus services across the State.

Your Committee further finds that, to address the shortage of school bus drivers in Hawaii, the Governor issued an emergency proclamation in August 2023 to allow the Department of Transportation to grant exemptions for the use of vehicles other than school buses to transport students. Specifically, this and subsequent related emergency proclamations allow for the transport of students using vehicles other than school vehicles by drivers possessing a commercial driver's license with an endorsement authorizing the driving of vehicles carrying passengers. Your Committee believes that making this exemption permanent will help alleviate the lack of school bus drivers in the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Providing that the use of vehicles other than school vehicles for the transportation of students shall meet any applicable state and federal safety regulations;

(2) Appropriating an unspecified amount of funds to the Department of Education for the purchase of motorcoaches, small buses, and vans for school bus services;

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1767, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1767, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair