STAND. COM. REP. NO. 570

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 683

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 683 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STUDENT TRANSPORTATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish and appropriate funds for student transportation coordinators for each county to strengthen student transportation services across the State.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association; Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi Education Caucus; Hawaiʻi Children's Action Network Speaks!; Ulupono Initiative; Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization; and two individuals. Your Committee received testimony in support of the intent of this measure from the Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that school bus service provided by the Department of Education is essential for getting students to and from school, particularly for students who lack other transportation options or face hardship in obtaining school transportation services due to economic difficulty. However, chronic bus driver shortages have led to the cancellation or consolidation of many school bus routes, reducing transportation options for families across the State. Your Committee believes that establishing a student transportation coordinator in each county will improve student transportation services and ensure students arrive at school on time to learn.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount; and

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000.

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $400,000 for the establishment of four full-time equivalent permanent student transportation coordinator positions.

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. 683, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 683, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair