Bill Text: HI HB2082 | 2024 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Relating To School Bus Services.
Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 14-1)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2024-03-07 - Referred to EDU, WAM. [HB2082 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2024-HB2082-Amended.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
2082 |
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THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024 |
H.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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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 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 in cases of
unscheduled service modifications due to unforeseen circumstances, including driver
absences or emergencies, the department shall notify affected families
promptly, explaining the reason for the change in service and outlining any
available alternative transportation options;
(2) The department shall
implement a communication and outreach plan for scheduled bus service changes
to notify affected communities and stakeholders of any planned changes to
school bus services using diverse communication channels and partnerships to
inform, gather feedback, and ensure transparency with affected communities and
stakeholders; and
(3) In cases where
school bus service must be reduced, the department shall ensure that affected
communities and stakeholders are aware of the process to appeal decisions
regarding school bus service modifications, as determined by the department
pursuant to rules adopted pursuant to chapter 91."
SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 3000.
Report Title:
School Bus Services; Department of Education; Comprehensive Standards
Description:
Establishes comprehensive standards for the department of education related to school bus services to ensure equitable access, timely communication, and accountability. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
