STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1320

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: S.B. No. 1250
                                     S.D. 1
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Transportation and Education, to which
was referred S.B. No. 1250, S.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SCHOOL BUSES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to allow the use of vehicles
other than school vehicles when transporting student groups to
and from school-related events and activities.

     Testimonies in support of this bill were received from the
Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, Trans Hawaiian Services,
International Management Services, Inc., PREVENT Child Abuse
Hawaii, and numerous teachers and concerned private citizens.
The Hawaii State Teachers Association supported the intent of
this bill.  Testimonies in opposition to this bill were received
from the Department of Transportation, the Department of
Education, the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, Gomes
School Bus Services, Ltd., A-Z Bus Sales, Inc., and numerous
teachers and concerned citizens.  The Hawaii Transportation
Association submitted comments pertaining to the safety of motor
coaches.

     Your Committees have amended this bill by using the contents
of Section 28-181, subsection (b), Hawaii Revised Statutes,
instead of subsection (e) of the same section.  This measure no
longer exempts athletic teams, but it does restrict the use of
tour buses to high-school groups.  The bill has been further

 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1320
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amended to allow the use of motor coaches that seat more than 25
passengers, have a gross vehicle weight rating of at least 26,000
pounds, and are not older than 15 years old.  Once put into
effect, this measure will be repealed on July 1, 2002.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your
Committees on Transportation and Education that are attached to
this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and
purpose of S.B. No. 1250, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and
recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto
as S.B. No. 1250, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to the
Committee on Finance.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committees on Transportation
                                   and Education,

                                   
                                   
                                   
                                   
______________________________     ______________________________
KENNETH T. HIRAKI, Chair           KEN ITO, Chair
Transportation Committee           Education Committee