RELATING TO SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL.

HB2454

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2454

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to safe routes to school
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

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SECTION 1.
�
The legislature finds that traffic safety
around Hawaii's schools must be strengthened to enable and encourage children
to walk and bicycle to school and make these transportation alternatives more
appealing to students and their families.
�

The legislature further finds that ensuring sufficient funding for projects
is a significant part of the safe routes to school program.
�
As such, Act 212, Session Laws of Hawaii
2025, established the safe routes to school program vehicle registration
surcharge to be deposited into the safe routes to school special fund to help
pay for safe routes to school project.
�
As
there is set to be an increase in the funding for safe routes to school
projects, the legislature also finds that ensuring that safe routes to school funds
are appropriately spent is equally important.

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Therefore, the purpose of this Act
is to clarify eligibility and improve accountability for the use of safe routes
to school funds.

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SECTION
2
.
�
Section 291C-3,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

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"
�291C-3
�
[
State and county
safe routes to school programs; coordinators; grants;
]
Safe routes to
school program; projects; counties; allocation and expenditure of funds; unused
funds;
reports.
�
(a)
�
There is established, within the department
of transportation, a safe routes to school program that shall[
, among other
things, enhance traffic safety around Hawaii's schools, enable and
]
encourage
and enable
children to walk and bicycle to school[
, and
make bicycling and walking to school a safer and more appealing transportation
alternative.
�
Beginning July 1, 2024, the
program shall be responsible for developing and publishing goals and
performance measures in coordination with the safe routes to school advisory
committee and providing technical assistance to counties and community
organizations in support of projects and programs that advance state and county
goals.
]
safely.

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(b)
�

[
There is created, within the department of transportation, the
position of safe routes to school program coordinator.
�
The safe routes to school program coordinator
shall
provide a central point of contact for the
safe
routes to school program.
]
�
The
department of transportation shall administer the safe routes to school program
and may plan, design, construct, implement, and administer eligible safe routes
to school projects.
�
For purposes of this
section, eligible safe routes to school projects may be undertaken by the
department of transportation, a county, or in partnership with other public
agencies or schools.

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(c)
�

[
A county designated office, through the county safe routes to
school program coordinator, and in consultation with the department of
education, department of health, and Hawaii Association of Independent Schools,
shall provide safe routes to school funds for school-based and community-based
workshops and infrastructure and non-infrastructure projects that will reduce
vehicular traffic and congestion, encourage walking and bicycling, and promote
health and safety around Hawaii's schools.
]
�
Any safe routes to school funds
allocated to a county shall be obligated within two years of the date of
allocation and expended within four years of obligation, unless an extension is
approved by the department of transportation for

good cause shown.

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(d)
�
[
The department of transportation shall
expend funds from the safe routes to school program special fund in
coordination with the safe routes to school advisory committee to be used for
the implementation of the safe routes to school program plan and projects
pursuant to section 291C-6(b)(2) and (3).
�

No later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular
session, each county shall submit to the legislature an annual report on the
status and progress of its county safe routes to school program, including an
accounting of all grants provided through the program and a timeline for future
grant awards.
]
�
Any funds
allocated to a county under this section that are not obligated or expended
within the timeframes required in subsection (c), including funds associated
with projects that are not completed, shall revert to the safe routes to school
program special fund and may be reallocated by the department of transportation
for other eligible safe routes to school projects.

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(e)
�
[
Implementation of the county safe routes
to school program shall take into consideration the need to:

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(1)
�
Fill a
permanent, full-time position of safe routes to school coordinator within the
county designated office;

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(2)
�
Maximize the
participation of school officials and stakeholder groups in the community;

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(3)
�
Work in
conjunction with county designated safe routes to school stakeholders and train
volunteer facilitators for school-based workshops and community-based projects,
including flexible training schedules;

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(4)
�
Train potential
grant requestors and stakeholder groups in federal and state requirements
necessary for procurement, contracts, design, and construction; and

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(5)
�
Allocate not
less than ten per cent and not more than thirty per cent of safe routes to
school funds for non-infrastructure-related activities or activities to
encourage walking and bicycling to school, public awareness campaigns, student
sessions on bicycle and pedestrian safety, or other non-infrastructure
activities.

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(f)
]
�
The
safe routes to school advisory committee
established pursuant to section 291C-6 shall develop a streamlined process for
the safe
routes to
school program that meets federal and state requirements, simplifies the grant
proposal application process, and
expedites
release of funding after completion of school-based and community-
based
projects for infrastructure and non-infrastructure.

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[
(g)
]
(f)
�
The safe routes to school advisory committee
established pursuant to section 291C-6 shall submit to the legislature an
annual report of
the
status and progress of the safe routes to school program, including an
accounting of all grants provided through the program and a timeline for future
grant awards,
no later than twenty days
prior
to the convening of each regular session.
"

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SECTION
3.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

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SECTION 4.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Safe
Routes to School; Funding; Eligibility and Accountability

Description:

Clarifies
eligibility and improves accountability for the use of Safe Routes to School
funds.
�
Repeals
the position of
safe routes to school program coordinator.
�

Repeals certain requirements for county programs.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.