Bill > HB88

This bill establishes a three-year student athlete travel pilot program administered by the Department of Education (DOE) to provide funding for intra-county travel expenses in counties with populations under 500,000, with a specific focus on addressing travel challenges for multi-island counties like Maui. The program will help student athletes overcome significant financial and logistical barriers to participating in sports competitions, recognizing that athletics contribute to improved academic performance, mental health, discipline, and personal development. The DOE may collaborate with private entities and volunteers to charter transportation and housing, and is required to submit a comprehensive report to the legislature before the 2028 regular session, detailing the number of participating athletes, total program expenditures, and transportation contractors. The bill appropriates state funds for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027, with the potential to hire an athletic clerk to assist with travel procurement and program implementation. The pilot program will automatically expire on June 30, 2028, and the bill is set to take effect on July 1, 3000 (which appears to be a typographical error and likely means 2024).

Budget and Finance, Education

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=88&year=2026