STAND. COM. REP. NO. 965
Honolulu, Hawaii
RE: S.B. No. 691
S.D. 2
Honorable Colleen Hanabusa
President of the Senate
Twenty-Fourth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2007
State of Hawaii
Madam:
Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 691, S.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION OF SCHOOL CHILDREN,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Education to 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 Hawaii School Bus Association submitted comments in support of this measure. The Department of Education submitted comments.
Your Committee finds that part of providing a proper education to public school students throughout the State includes the provision of safe, reliable, and consistent transportation to and from school and for educational excursions. Currently, the Department of Education provides transportation services to students living outside of Honolulu proper, with some exceptions, and those living beyond a mile away from school.
Many other students may not require transportation services because they live in areas that are serviced by the City and County of Honolulu bus system, are attending schools under a geographic exemption, or do not proceed directly home after school. Your Committee understands that requiring the Department of Education to provide transportation services to all public school students could be a costly endeavor and a major undertaking.
Your Committee is most concerned with ensuring that the current level of transportation services provided to students is not diminished or, if necessary, that such changes are not executed without input from interested parties, including parents. The establishment of a process to allow stakeholders to participate in changes to current policies and procedures will help to ensure that the transportation needs of the students are being met.
Your Committee has amended this bill by:
(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050 to facilitate further discussion; and
(2) Making a technical nonsubstantive change for the purpose of style.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 691, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 691, S.D. 2.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,
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____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair |
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