HI SB868

Establishes a one-year School Bus Driver Certification Subsidy Pilot Program within the Department of Education for the 2025-2026 school year to address the chronic school bus driver shortage

Hawaii currently needs an estimated 179 additional drivers to fully staff school bus routes, with 175 drivers having vacated positions in the last school year

Requires the Department of Education to establish eligibility criteria, training curriculum for commercial driver's licenses, and pathways for existing school van drivers or bus aides to obtain certifications

Mandates interim and final reports to the legislature by 20 days before the 2026 and 2027 regular sessions, respectively

Appropriates an unspecified amount from general revenues for fiscal year 2025-2026, with the program set to cease at the end of the 2025-2026 school year