HB 1785 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO STUDENT TRANSPORTATION.

Summary

Authorizes the Superintendent to hire a new contractor if a contractor under a student transportation contract fails to provide service on a contracted service capacity or designated service segment for five or more consecutive instructional days. Authorizes the Department of Education to assess a penalty if a contractor fails to provide service on a designated service segment without an approved justification. Authorizes the use of the School Bus Fare Revolving Fund to offset costs associated with procuring replacement services. (CD1)

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

May 2026

House Passage

May 2026

Senate Passage

May 2026

Signed into Law

Jul 2026

Introduced Jan 21, 2026 Signed Jul 14, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB1785_HD1 → HB1785_SD1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill shifts authority over student transportation contract enforcement from the Governor to the Superintendent of Public Instruction, allowing for faster responses to contractor failures. It introduces a financial penalty system for contractors who fail to provide service without justification and shortens the timeline for securing permanent replacement services from 30 months to 12 months. The effective date of the law is also updated to July 31, 2055.

Scope change

Authority over contract suspension and interim agreements moved from the Governor to the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

ENFORCEMENT

Authority to suspend or remove routes for non-performance was transferred from the Governor to the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

A new financial penalty mechanism was added, allowing the Department of Education to charge contractors up to 100% of the daily rate or the cost of replacement services for unfulfilled service without approved justification.

TIMELINE

The maximum duration for interim agreements with replacement carriers was reduced from 30 months to 12 months or the remainder of the school year.

The deadline to complete a permanent replacement contract was shortened from 30 months to 12 months after an interim agreement is executed.

TECHNICAL

The effective date of the Act was changed from July 1, 3000, to July 31, 2055.

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

May 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

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

lower

May 6, 2026

Upper · Passed

Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 0 No(es): none. 0 Excused: none.

upper

May 1, 2026

Introduced

48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-06-26

upper

May 1, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 108-26).

upper

May 1, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 108-26) as amended in (CD 1).

lower

Apr 30, 2026

Upper · Passed

The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kim, Hashimoto, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Apr 30, 2026

Lower · Passed

The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) La Chica, Lee, M., Olds, Woodson, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.

lower

Apr 29, 2026

Lower · Passed

Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Thursday 04-30-26 2:45PM in conference room 229.

lower

Apr 28, 2026

Lower · Passed

Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Wednesday 04-29-26 3:00PM in conference room 229.

lower

Apr 27, 2026

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-28-26 2:55PM; Conference Room 229.

upper

Apr 14, 2026

Amended

House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).

lower

Apr 10, 2026

Introduced

Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 527) in amended form (SD 1).

lower

Apr 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Apr 7, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 12 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Richards, Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Lee, C..

upper

Apr 2, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 04-07-26 10:31AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 30, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.

upper

Mar 30, 2026

Committee

Reported from EDU (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3386) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Mar 23, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDU were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kim, Kidani, Hashimoto, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fukunaga.

upper

Mar 16, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDU has scheduled a public hearing on 03-18-26 1:00PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 10, 2026

Committee

Referred to EDU, WAM.

upper

Mar 10, 2026

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 157).

upper

Mar 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Perruso, Sayama excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Mar 3, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 16 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.

lower

Feb 19, 2026

Committee

Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 488-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 12, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Woodson, La Chica, Amato, Evslin, Kapela, Kila, Olds, Muraoka, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Garrett.

lower

Jan 26, 2026

Committee

Referred to EDN, FIN, referral sheet 1

lower

Jan 22, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 21, 2026

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

22 primary · 0 co-sponsors