HB 862 Hawaii House · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION SERVICES.

HB 862 allows school districts to use motorcoaches, small buses, and vans for student transportation services, provided they meet specific safety and operational requirements. This bill directly affects public school districts that rely on transportation services for students. The key provision expands the types of vehicles eligible for school bus use beyond standard school buses, while requiring compliance with established safety standards. The bill passed committee with amendments in February 2025 but has not yet become law.

Issues: ✓ Education ✓ Transportation

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

Signed into Law

May 2025

Introduced Jan 21, 2025 Signed May 30, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB862_HD1 → HB862_SD1 · 7 edits

MODERATE

This bill converts temporary emergency measures allowing non-school-bus vehicles to transport students into permanent law, while adding new requirements for zero-emission school buses and expanding eligibility for alternative transportation to private schools and charter schools. The changes matter because they institutionalize the current workaround for the school bus driver shortage while pushing the state toward cleaner transportation options.

Scope change

Expanded from only public schools to include public charter schools and private schools registered with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; added provisions for transportation to school-related activities and designated drop-off/pick-up locations.

REQUIREMENT

Requires the State to upgrade to zero-emission school buses by 2045 and prohibits entering new school bus contracts after that date unless the bus is zero-emission.

Mandates state agencies to prioritize zero-emission vehicles in procurement policies for purchasing or leasing motor vehicles.

Added requirement for adult staff chaperone escorts when using alternative vehicles for off-campus transportation.

ELIGIBILITY

Expanded eligibility for alternative vehicle transportation to include private schools and charter schools, not just public schools.

Added requirement for parent/guardian liability waivers for students transported in alternative vehicles.

DEFINITION

Added new definitions for zero-emission vehicles, alternative fuel vehicles, and other transportation terms referencing federal regulations.

TIMELINE

Changed effective date from July 1, 2025 to July 1, 3000 (likely a placeholder error that needs correction).

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran excused (1).

lower

Apr 30, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 1 (Senator(s) Awa). Excused, 0 (none).

upper

Apr 25, 2025

Introduced

48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 04-30-25

upper

Apr 25, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 213).

upper

Apr 25, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 213) as amended in (CD 1).

lower

Apr 25, 2025

Lower · Passed

The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 3 Ayes: Representative(s) Kila, Morikawa, Muraoka; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.

lower

Apr 25, 2025

Upper · Passed

The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 2 Aye(s): Senator(s) Lee, C., Kidani; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Kanuha.

upper

Apr 25, 2025

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-25-25 5:15 PM; Conference Room 225.

upper

Apr 25, 2025

Lower · Passed

Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday, 04-25-25 at 3:30PM in Conference Room 411.

lower

Apr 25, 2025

Lower · Passed

Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday, 04-25-25 at 2:00PM in Conference Room 411.

lower

Apr 25, 2025

Lower · Passed

Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday, 04-25-25 at 12:30PM in Conference Room 329.

lower

Apr 25, 2025

Lower · Passed

Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday, 04-25-25 at 11:30AM in Conference Room 329.

lower

Apr 23, 2025

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-25-25 10:20AM; Conference Room 329.

upper

Apr 17, 2025

Committee

Re-referred to TRN, FIN, referral sheet 33

lower

Apr 10, 2025

Amended

House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).

lower

Apr 8, 2025

Introduced

Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 685) in amended form (SD 1).

lower

Apr 8, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 23; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 2 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCorte). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Apr 2, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 13 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Mar 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 04-02-25 10:01AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 21, 2025

Committee

Reported from TCA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1303) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Mar 13, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on TCA recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in TCA were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Lee, C., Inouye, Elefante, Kanuha, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Mar 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on TCA has scheduled a public hearing on 03-11-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Committee

Referred to TCA, WAM.

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 128).

upper

Feb 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Pierick, Templo, Ward excused (4). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Feb 24, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 15 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Alcos, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Ward.

lower

Feb 13, 2025

Committee

Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 579) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 11 Ayes: Representative(s) Woodson, La Chica, Amato, Evslin, Garrett, Kapela, Kila, Olds, Sayama, Muraoka, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Jan 23, 2025

Committee

Referred to EDN, FIN, referral sheet 3

lower

Jan 23, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

20 primary · 0 co-sponsors