Bill Text: HI HB2082 | 2024 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating To School Bus Services.
Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 14-1)
Status: (Engrossed) 2024-03-07 - Referred to EDU, WAM. [HB2082 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2024-HB2082-Introduced.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
2082 |
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THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to school bus services.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature 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. However, due to the continuing shortage of qualified school bus drivers in the State, student bus transportation services have been completely or partially suspended at ten Oahu's high schools and four schools on Kauai in the 2023-2024 school year. Of the sixty-one bus routes on Oahu and seventeen bus routes on Kauai that were cancelled, only one route on Oahu and nine routes on Kauai have been restored. Additionally, high school bus routes on Maui and Hawaii island have been modified due to the bus driver shortages.
The legislature
further finds that while the department of education is in the process of
restoring these services, it is essential to develop comprehensive standards
for the department to determine when and how school bus services may be reduced
or modified to ensure that these decisions are made with the utmost
consideration for reasonable accommodation, equity, and prioritization of
students who live beyond a certain distance from school.
The purpose of this Act is to establish
comprehensive standards for the department of education related to school bus
services to ensure reasonable accommodation, equitable access, timely
communication, and accountability.
SECTION 2. Section 302A-406, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending its title and subsection (a) to read as follows:
"§302A-406 Transportation of
school children[.]; comprehensive standards. (a)
The department may provide suitable transportation to and from school
and for educational field trips for all children in grades kindergarten to
twelve and in special education classes.
The department shall adopt policies, procedures, and programs as it
deems necessary to provide suitable transportation[.] and meet the
following comprehensive standards:
(1) The department
shall conduct an equity assessment before making any decisions related to
school bus service reductions or modifications; provided that the equity
assessment evaluates the potential impact on different communities and takes into
account factors such as distance to school, socio-economic status, and
geographic challenges;
(2) The department shall
establish a prioritization system that gives preference to students who live
beyond a certain distance from school; provided that the distance threshold
shall be determined through a collaborative process involving the department,
educational experts, and community representatives;
(3) The department shall
provide reasonable accommodation for students who may be disproportionately
affected by bus service changes due to disabilities, special needs, or other
unique circumstances; provided that such accommodation may include alternative
transportation arrangements and support services;
(4) The department shall
engage with affected communities, parents, and relevant stakeholders when
considering changes to school bus services through public hearings and
community feedback mechanisms to ensure transparency and gather input from
those directly impacted;
(5) The department
shall establish specific timelines for notifying families of any planned
changes to school bus services;
(6) The department shall
make decisions regarding school bus service based on comprehensive data and
ridership statistics to ensure that service reductions are justified and not
solely based on arbitrary criteria;
(7) In cases where
school bus service must be reduced, the department shall develop and
communicate alternative transportation plans, including details on routes,
schedules, and eligibility criteria for these alternative options;
(8) The department
shall establish a clear and accessible appeals process for families who believe
they have been unfairly impacted by changes in school bus service;
(9) The department shall
allocate resources in a manner that prioritizes equitable access to
transportation services across all regions and communities within the State;
and
(10) The department shall
conduct periodic evaluations of the effectiveness of the
standards set forth in paragraphs (1) through (9), including making necessary
adjustments to improve the equity, communication, and accommodation of school
bus services over time."
SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
School Bus Services; Department of Education; Comprehensive Standards
Description:
Establishes comprehensive standards for the department of education related to school bus services to ensure reasonable accommodation, equitable access, timely communication, and accountability.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
