Hawaii HB 1785 — RELATING TO STUDENT TRANSPORTATION.

Hawaii, 2026. HB 1785: RELATING TO STUDENT TRANSPORTATION.

Plural source record ↗

Official legislative source ↗

Latest action

July 14, 2026 — Act 238, 07/13/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1340).

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)

Sponsors

• LA CHICA — primary sponsor
• AMATO — primary sponsor
• GRANDINETTI — primary sponsor
• HUSSEY — primary sponsor
• ILAGAN — primary sponsor
• IWAMOTO — primary sponsor
• KAHALOA — primary sponsor
• KAPELA — primary sponsor
• KILA — primary sponsor
• LOWEN — primary sponsor
• MARTEN — primary sponsor
• MATAYOSHI — primary sponsor
• MATSUMOTO — primary sponsor
• MIYAKE — primary sponsor
• OLDS — primary sponsor
• PERRUSO — primary sponsor
• QUINLAN — primary sponsor
• REYES ODA — primary sponsor
• SHIMIZU — primary sponsor
• SOUZA — primary sponsor
• TAKAYAMA — primary sponsor
• TARNAS — primary sponsor

Bill text

HB1785_CD1 Read version ↗ Read version ↗

HB1785_SD1 Read version ↗ Read version ↗

HB1785_HD1 Read version ↗ Read version ↗

HB1785 Read version ↗ Read version ↗

Recorded votes

Legislative history

1. January 21, 2026Pending introduction.
2. January 22, 2026Introduced and Pass First Reading.
3. January 26, 2026Referred to EDN, FIN, referral sheet 1
4. February 10, 2026Bill scheduled to be heard by EDN on Thursday, 02-12-26 2:00PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
5. February 12, 2026The 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.
6. February 19, 2026Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 488-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
7. February 19, 2026Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).
8. February 27, 2026Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Tuesday, 03-03-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
9. March 3, 2026The 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.
10. March 6, 2026Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 949-26), recommending passage on Third Reading.
11. March 6, 2026Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Perruso, Sayama excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.
12. March 10, 2026Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 157).
13. March 10, 2026Passed First Reading.
14. March 10, 2026Referred to EDU, WAM.
15. March 16, 2026The committee(s) on EDU has scheduled a public hearing on 03-18-26 1:00PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.
16. March 18, 2026The committee(s) on EDU deferred the measure until 03-23-26 1:10PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.
17. March 23, 2026The 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.
18. March 30, 2026Reported from EDU (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3386) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
19. March 30, 2026Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
20. April 2, 2026The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 04-07-26 10:31AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
21. April 7, 2026The 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..
22. April 9, 2026Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3637) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
23. April 9, 2026One Day Notice 04-10-26.
24. April 10, 2026Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
25. April 10, 2026Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 527) in amended form (SD 1).
26. April 14, 2026House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).
27. April 16, 2026Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 599).
28. April 20, 2026House Conferees Appointed: La Chica, Lee, M. Co-Chairs; Olds, Woodson, Souza.
29. April 20, 2026Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 786).
30. April 27, 2026Senate Conferees Appointed: Kim Chair; Hashimoto Co-Chair; DeCorte.
31. April 27, 2026Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 778).
32. April 27, 2026Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-28-26 2:55PM; Conference Room 229.
33. April 28, 2026Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Wednesday 04-29-26 3:00PM in conference room 229.
34. April 29, 2026Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Thursday 04-30-26 2:45PM in conference room 229.
35. April 30, 2026The 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.
36. April 30, 2026The 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.
37. May 1, 2026Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 108-26) as amended in (CD 1).
38. May 1, 2026Forty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 05-06-26.
39. May 1, 2026Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 108-26).
40. May 1, 202648 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-06-26
41. May 6, 2026Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 0 No(es): none. 0 Excused: none.
42. May 6, 2026Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).
43. May 6, 2026Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 816).
44. May 8, 2026Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 888).
45. May 7, 2026Transmitted to Governor.
46. July 14, 2026Act 238, 07/13/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1340).
47. July 14, 2026Act 238, on 07/13/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1340).

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