REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, IN COORDINATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, TO EVALUATE AND RECOMMEND IMPROVEMENTS TO THE LICENSING, TRAINING, AND WORKFORCE PIPELINE FOR SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS IN THE STATE.
This Senate Resolution requests the Hawaii Department of Transportation, working with the Department of Education, to evaluate and recommend improvements to the licensing, training, and recruitment process for school bus drivers. The bill aims to address driver shortages that cause route cancellations and transportation disruptions, particularly affecting students in rural and neighbor island communities. The evaluation will examine barriers such as testing availability, interagency coordination, and workforce pipeline issues, with a deadline to submit findings and recommendations to the Legislature by early 2027.
Bill status
passed
3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2026
Committee Review
Apr 2026
Senate Passage
Apr 2026
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Mar 10, 2026
Last action May 12, 2026
Floor votes
How they voted
This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
8
Key actions
4
Committee
4
Apr 8, 2026
Upper · Passed
Report and Resolution Adopted.
upper
Apr 7, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported from TRS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3443) with recommendation of adoption.
upper
Mar 24, 2026
Upper · Passed
The committee(s) on TRS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in TRS were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Inouye, Elefante, Kanuha, Lee, C., DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
upper
Mar 20, 2026
Upper · Passed
The committee(s) on TRS has scheduled a public hearing on 03-24-26 3:02PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.
upper
Mar 19, 2026
Committee
Referred to TRS.
upper
Mar 10, 2026
Introduced
Offered.
upper
9 primary · 2 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Angus McKelvey
DDemocratic
P
Dru Kanuha
DDemocratic
P
Joy San Buenaventura
DDemocratic
P
Lorraine Inouye
DDemocratic
P
Lynn DeCoite
DDemocratic
P
Rachele Lamosao
DDemocratic
P
Stanley Chang
DDemocratic
P
Tim Richards
DDemocratic
P
Troy Hashimoto
DDemocratic
Co
Glenn Wakai
DDemocratic
Co
Les Ihara
DDemocratic
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