STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1637

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 117

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Transportation and Culture and the Arts and Education, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 117 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO COLLABORATE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND THE COUNTY OF HAWAIʻI TO CONDUCT AN INVENTORY OF BUS STOPS ON HAWAIʻI ISLAND UTILIZED BY CHILDREN TO TRAVEL TO SCHOOL AND DEVELOP STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE SAFETY AT EACH LOCATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the Department of Education to collaborate with the Department of Transportation and the County of Hawaii to conduct an inventory of bus stops on Hawaii Island utilized by children to travel to school and develop strategies to improve safety at each location.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from two individuals.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Education.

Your Committees find that unlike other islands in the State, many students on Hawaii Island face unique transportation challenges, including long travel distances, limited access to school bus services, and reliance on the County of Hawaii's Hele-On public transportation system through special arrangements with the Department of Education. Your Committees further find that that the availability and staffing of active bus routes are critical concerns, as many school transportation services struggle with driver shortages, funding constraints, and an insufficient number of routes to accommodate all students safely and efficiently. Your Committees conclude that a comprehensive review of existing bus stops on Hawaii Island used by school-aged children is necessary to identify deficiencies and develop recommendations for improvements.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the Department of Education, Department of Transportation, and County of Hawaii collaborate with the Safe Routes to School Advisory Committee;

(2) Clarifying that the Department of Education, Department of Transportation, and County of Hawaii is requested to develop recommendations and propose strategies to enhance the safety of bus stops;

(3) Specifying that a certified copy of this measure be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Safe Routes to School Advisory Committee;

(4) Amending its title accordingly; and

(5) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Transportation and Culture and the Arts and Education that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 117, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 117, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Transportation and Culture and the Arts and Education,

________________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair

________________________________ CHRIS LEE, Chair