SB868

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	868
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to the school bus driver certification subsidy pilot program.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that there is currently a nationwide school bus driver shortage. While the department of education contracts school bus services to various contractors on multiple islands, driver shortages have resulted in the cancellation, temporary suspension, and consolidation of bus routes. Among bus service contractors statewide, an estimated one hundred seventy-nine additional drivers are needed to fully staff school bus routes. Over the last school year, one hundred seventy-five school bus drivers have vacated their positions.

The legislature also finds that the school bus driver shortage negatively impacts student attendance and causes difficulties for working parents who juggle jobs and school drop-offs. In addition, the lack of affordable school bus options has made it prohibitively expensive to organize school field trips that enrich student learning.

The legislature further finds that the State's severe bus driver shortage is felt disproportionately by families living in rural, underserved areas. The department of education has been forced to implement a series of unconventional programs to provide basic transportation for keiki attending public schools in rural, underserved areas. Some measures taken by the department of education include providing for pay differentials for school bus drivers in rural areas, purchasing free public bus passes for public school students, and authorizing principals or other administrative staff to drive students.

In response to the State's severe bus shortage, the governor issued two emergency proclamations to address the chronic bus driver shortage for the 2024-2025 school year, which authorized the department of transportation to grant exemptions for the use of vehicles other than school buses to transport students and ensure transportation support for students attending department of education and other independent schools. Despite recent efforts to incentivize individuals to become school bus drivers, more needs to be done to address this critical shortage in the State.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to establish a one-year school bus driver certification subsidy pilot program within the department of education to provide subsidized training and education opportunities for prospective school bus drivers.

SECTION 2. (a) The department of education shall establish and administer a one-year school bus driver certification subsidy pilot program to subsidize the costs associated with the training and certification of prospective bus drivers and address the ongoing chronic shortage of school bus drivers in the State.

(b) The department of education shall establish:

(1) Eligibility criteria for prospective applicants to participate in the bus driver certification subsidy pilot program, including any qualifications and disqualifications for entry into the pilot program in accordance with federal and state regulations;

(2) A curriculum or training plan for prospective bus drivers to obtain a commercial driver's license, including courses to obtain additional endorsements required to drive a school bus; and

(3) Pathways for existing school van drivers or school bus aides to obtain a commercial driver's license, additional endorsements required to drive a school bus, or training to operate school buses for special education students.

(c) The department of education shall submit an interim report on the development and administration of the school bus driver certification subsidy pilot program, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2026.

(d) The department of education shall submit a final report on the school bus driver certification subsidy pilot program, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2027.

(e) The school bus driver certification subsidy pilot program shall cease to exist at the end of the 2025-2026 school year.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 for the school bus driver certification subsidy pilot program established pursuant to section 2 of this Act.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________