STAND. COM. REP. NO.  274

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   H.B. No. 983

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 983 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to enhance traffic safety, especially around Hawaii's schools, by requiring the Director of Transportation to:

(1)  Conduct a statewide pupil travel evaluation, through the Safe Routes to School Coordinator, to study how students get to school;

(2)  Use the information gained from the evaluation to provide funds to each school for school-based workshops and community-based planning to reduce vehicular traffic and congestion around schools, encourage walking and bicycling to school, and promote health and safety for students;

(3)  Develop a streamlined application process for federal Safe Routes to School grants; and

(4)  Submit to the Legislature a report of the results of the evaluation and the school-based workshops and community-based planning projects funded by the Safe Routes to School Program.

     The Department of Transportation testified in opposition to this bill.  The Department of Education offered comments.

     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. 983 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

ROY TAKUMI, Chair