STAND. COM. REP. NO.
Honolulu, Hawaii
APR01 (2024
RE: H.R. No. 171
Honorable Scott K. Saiki
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty—Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2024
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.R. No.
171 entitled:
“HOUSE RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO
DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR THE REINSTATEMENT OF
CANCELLED SCHOOL BUS SERVICE ROUTES,”
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to urge the Department of
Education to develop a comprehensive plan for the reinstatement of
cancelled school bus service routes.
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the Pearl City Neighborhood Board and four individuals. Your
Committee received comments on this measure from one individual.
Your Committee finds that the availability of school bus
services is essential to student attendance, especially for
families who live in rural and remote areas and students who come
from socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. Your Committee
further finds that the Department of Education provides bus
services in neighborhoods across the State to ensure broad access
to educational opportunities for Hawaii’s students, serving
approximately twelve thousand student riders on Oahu and thirteen
thousand student riders on the neighbor islands.
2024—2633 HR171 HSCR HMSO
 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 5-24
Page 2
Your Committee notes that, currently, there is a nationwide
shortage of school bus drivers. Due to the shortage of qualified
school bus drivers in the State, student bus transportation
services have been completely or partially suspended at ten Oahu
high schools and four schools on Kauai in the 2023-2024 school
year. Suspensions of additional school bus service routes in
other counties of Hawaii are anticipated if the shortage of
qualified school bus drivers continues. Your Committee believes
that a comprehensive plan to reinstate previously cancelled school
bus service routes is needed to ensure that all students in the
State are able to use school bus services to arrive at public
schools on time.
Your Committee further notes that the Department of Education
stated in its testimony that the comprehensive plan could
encompass the consideration of alternative transportation options
such as carpooling and public transit in addition to school bus
transportation, and could also include the examination of
efficiency strategies such as centralized bus stops.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your
Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 171 and
recommends its adoption.
Respectfully submitted on
behalf of the members of the
Committee on Education,
USTI H. WOODSON, Chair
2024—2633 HR171 HSCR HMSO
 State of Hawaii
House of Representatives
The Thirty-second Legislature
~ )5.1)5. 21+
Record of Votes of the Committee on Education
Bill/Resolution No.: Committee Referral: Date:
~~-~1i 3/2-I /z.o19
0 The committee is reconsidering its previous decision on the measure.
The recommendation is to: ~ unamended (as is) 0 Pass, with amendments (HD) 0 Hold
C Pass short form bill with HD to recommit for future public hearing (recommit)
EDN Members Ayes Ayes (WR) Nays Excused
1. WOODSON, Justin H. (C)
2. LA CHICA, Trish (VC)
3. KAPELA, Jeanne
4. MARTEN, Lisa
~
5. MARTINEZ, Rose
6.MATAYOSHI, Scot Z.
7. MIZUNO, May Besario
~
8. PERRUSO, Amy A.
9. QUINLAN, Sean
10. TODD, Chris
11. GARCIA, Diamond
TOTAL (11) 3
The recommendation is: ~~dopted ~l Not Adopted
If joint referral, did not support recommendation.
committee acronym(s)
. . . .
Vice Chair s or designee s signature: /
Distribution: Original (White) ConE~tt≤~
— uplicate (Yellow) — Chief Clerks Office Duplicate (Pink) — HMSO
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