STAND. COM. REP. NO. 732-24

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 Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1767, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize the use of motorcoaches, small buses, and vans for school bus services if certain conditions are met; and

(2) Appropriate funds to the Department of Education for the purchase of motorcoaches, small buses, and vans for school bus services.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation; Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization; and Hawaii State Teachers Association. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education.

Your Committee 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. Your Committee further finds that the continuing shortage of qualified school bus drivers in Hawaii has forced the suspension or partial suspension of student bus transportation services at ten high schools on Oahu and four schools on Kauai in the 2023-2024 school year.

Your Committee further finds that the Governor issued an emergency proclamation in August 2023 to address the shortage of school bus drivers in the State by allowing 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 drivers possessing a commercial driver's license with an endorsement authorizing the driving of vehicles carrying passengers to transport students using vehicles other than school vehicles. This measure will help alleviate the lack of school bus drivers in Hawaii by making the exemption permanent.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1767, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair