State and county safe routes to school programs; coordinators; grants; reports
HRS §291C-3
in effect291C-3. State and county safe routes to school programs; coordinators; grants; 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 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.
(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.
(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.
(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.
(e) Implementation of the county safe routes
to school program shall take into consideration the need to:
(1) Fill a permanent, full-time position of safe
routes to school coordinator within the county designated office;
(2) Maximize the participation of school officials
and stakeholder groups in the community;
(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;
(4) Train potential grant requestors and stakeholder
groups in federal and state requirements necessary for procurement, contracts,
design, and construction; and
(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.
(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.
(g) 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.
[L 2012, c 317, pt of §2; am L Sp 2021, c 9,
§61; am L 2023, c 244, §3]
Source: Hawaii State Legislature (capitol.hawaii.gov), via Internet Archive capturesURL: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol05_Ch0261-0319/HRS0291C/HRS_0291C-0003.htmFetched: 11/10/2026