“It’s not easy to recruit and retain drivers,” said La Chica. “And this is happening nationwide, so we really wanted to look at what other options are there.”

State lawmakers say they are trying to give the department some tools to try and solve the problem. For example, they did pass House Bill 862 this past legislative session which extends Governor Green’s emergency proclamation that allows other vehicles, not just yellow buses, to transport students to and from school.

But that’s not possible right now because, according to La Chica, the DOE’s contract with its current bus provider doesn’t allow that. So it would have to be amended.

“I’m here urging the department and asking them to work with us, work with the Governor’s office and just help us be able to realize this law to its fullest extent,” said La Chica.

HB 862: Addressing School Bus Shortages - Multiple school bus routes were suspended this past academic year due to a nationwide bus driver shortage. This bill reverses the suspensions and allows for alternative vehicles, such as small buses, vans and more, to pick up students and bring them to school. “Hawaiʻi continues to face a school bus crisis, and we’ve heard from countless parents, families and educators about the urgent need to expand transportation options, while keeping safety front and center,” said House Committee on Education Vice Chair Trish La Chica. “This new law paves the way for our students to thrive, by expanding the department’s options to secure reliable transportation and ensuring that transportation barriers don’t stand in the way of our keiki and their opportunities to succeed.”

..lawmakers found money in the budget for a variety of initiatives, including $6 million to increase the pay for child welfare workers, and $30 million for loan repayment for health care workers who commit to working in Hawaiʻi.

They also approved Senate Bill 1300 to significantly expand access to free school lunches.

“Because of this bill, fewer kids will sit in the classroom distracted by hunger,” said Rep. Trish La Chica. “More families, especially those who make just a little too much to qualify under outdated rules, will no longer have to worry, knowing their children will eat at school free of charge.”

Rep. Trish La Chica said she wants to see more transparency and data about how projects are prioritized and completed. Right now, she said, lawmakers are familiar with the state of school facilities in their districts but aren’t always aware of needs across the state.  

A bill from La Chica earlier this year would have required SFA to develop a public database on the quality campuses across the state, including ratings for school facilities. 

State lawmakers attempted to tackle the issue again this year by introducing a similar resolution requesting DOE open recreational facilities for “unrestricted use” outside of the school day. Rep. Trish La Chica, who introduced the resolution, said she hoped Hawaiʻi could develop joint use agreements similar to those adopted by some mainland schools.

But in a hearing for the Hawaiʻi resolution — which did not pass — DOE said it already has a process allowing groups to request access to its facilities and said that easing restrictions could subject schools to vandalism and more security threats.

La Chica said she understands DOE wants to prioritize facilities for school activities and keep campuses safe. But, she said, she would still like to find a way for the community to benefit more from the outdoor spaces available on school campuses and maximize the use of state-funded facilities.

"We want to save lives and help decrease or even remove fatalities on these dangerous roadways," said Rep. Trish La Chica.

Along with 25 new red light cameras going in, the bill would also add speed enforcement cameras near school zones.

"We found a lot of the crashes occur in school zones and in dangerous intersections. About half of them, 42%, affect pedestrians and bicyclists," La Chica explained.

This is a problem La Chica, who is one of the bill's authors, has seen first hand.

"In my district alone, along Mehe'ula Parkway someone ran into a traffic camera twice this year. This is a school zone and kids cross that street every day," she added.

Rep. Trish La Chica (D, Waipio-Mililani).. has never had a family discussion about whether she might give up her legislative career to devote more time to the family, her husband, Cricket, said last week in La Chica’s office surrounded by other Capitol Kids.

Their 5-year-old daughter, Ricki, sat at La Chica’s desk using different-colored crayons to draw a picture of herself and her mom standing on top of a hill.

There’s never been a need to talk about whether La Chica would do something else if it means more time at home, Cricket said.

“She was born for this,” he said.

Rep. Trish La Chica (D, Waipio-Mililani) — vice chair of the House Education Committee, who also co-introduced some of the bus-related bills — knows how disrupting last-minute cancellations can be for families who have to scramble.

“It’s severe disruption for a family that didn’t prepare for this, that have work commitments, that have early shifts,” La Chica said.

“I’ve had to hear from parents who have had to seriously consider leaving their job or beg their neighbors to help with carpool,” La Chica said. “It just really puts our families and kids at a disadvantage.”

House Education Vice Chair Trish La Chica said she’s aiming to solve the state’s severe school bus driver shortage. For the past three years, DOE has abruptly canceled bus routes for thousands of students shortly before the first day of classes. 

She plans on reintroducing a bill from last year to allow DOE to use motor coaches and small buses for student transportation, giving companies more flexibility in what vehicles they use. Another proposal would require school leaders to give families more advance notice if they need to cancel bus routes at the start of the year.

Hawaii’s top brass and more Filipino trailblazers are slated for Presidential Lifetime Achievement Awards at the TOFA event.

On Oct. 27, Hawaii’s former Gov. Benjamin Cayetano, former state senator Bennette Misalucha and incumbent state representative Trish La Chica will receive the President Biden Lifetime Achievement Award, along with 10 other Filipino trailblazers at the 14th Annual TOFA—The Outstanding Filipino Awards.

State Rep. Trish La Chica has clinched the Democratic nomination for the Hawaii State House's 37th District, beating Ken Inouye, son of the late U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye.

La Chica’s campaign focused on educational issues, courting students, parents, and educators in Central Oahu. While Inouye, who is an assistant to the vice chancellor at the University of Hawaii-West Oahu, campaigned on debates such as the cost of living and the future of retirees and the younger generation.

The announcement marks the third year in a row that DOE has canceled bus services at the start of the year, leaving families scrambling for last-minute transportation options. Last August, DOE suspended 78 routes on Oahu and Kauai, although the department later said it was able to restaff some of its routes on Kauai later in the school year.

“It’s a failure on the DOE’s part to plan for this type of disruption,” said state Rep. Trish La Chica, who represents Mililani. Up to 600 students at Mililani Middle School rely on the 14 bus routes that serve the community every day, she said.

Last year, several lawmakers introduced bills to help alleviate the shortage which died last session.

Rep. La Chica introduced a bill authorizing vans and small buses to get kids to school which does not require a CDL license.

“It’s been more than a year now, with dozens and dozens of school routes canceled, it’s certainly unacceptable,” La Chica said. “We want our kids to do their best in school, in athletics, and other extracurricular activities. The last thing we want is for them to have to worry about how to get to school and how to get to school on time and safely.”

Last week, Gov. Josh Green signed into law Senate Bill 2686, which prohibits and penalizes the distribution of “materially deceptive media” and provides for remedies to parties targeted by such media. 

Deepfakes are photos, video, audio or other media that have been altered or generated by AI in a way that misrepresents or altogether falsifies a person’s identity, words or actions. Hawaii is the 13th state to enact legislation regulating such media.

“While artificial intelligence holds tremendous potential for innovation, the threat posed by manipulated media cannot be underestimated,” said state Rep. Trish La Chica. “Deepfakes can distort our perception of reality, harming not just political candidates but any individual targeted by this technology.”

As vice chair of the House Education Committee last session, La Chica said she was able to “focus on a lot of issues that are important to our students, our parents, our educators and all the things that are important to me as a mom with two school-age kids. … Like many others, we’re a working family affected by the day-to-day issues that impact our community. I’m working to make sure our kids have a better future.”

Trish La Chica, vice chair of the House Education Committee, said she’s hopeful the bills will offer families more transportation options in the new school year. Students can't fully focus on their classes if they're worried about their safety or ride home from school, she said.

“This issue directly impacts thousands of students,” La Chica said. “The kids feel miserable.”

Rep. Trish La Chica said her office was “buzzing with energy” and listed a slate of policy goals for the next 60 legislative days. And, as she points out, “It will be our first opportunity to deliver on issues that directly impact the district.”

House Education Committee Vice Chair Trish La Chica said the top priorities are Lahaina's families, students, schools and prolonged issues, such as school transportation and recovery from learning loss.

"We're committed to action that prioritizes students' well-being, minimizes disruption, and ensures that their educational progress isn't hindered," La Chica said.

La Chica plans to introduce a bill to expand similar, pre-apprentice training programs in Hawaii high schools to help create more housing and “because Hawaii’s future and the ability for our youth to remain in Hawaii relies on an educated and skilled workforce. We’re going to need thousands of more jobs and we want them to be local jobs.”

She wants to retrofit more Hawaii high schools to provide on-site, hands-on training while partnering students with the construction industry to provide paid internships.

“We want to invest in their future by being able to start a life and career here with as little debt as possible,” La Chica said.

The department encouraged students to take the city bus or Skyline rail to school, but Rep. Trish La Chica said families in her Central Oahu district were still scrambling to find viable transportation options.

The new vice chair of the House education committee plans to introduce a bill creating standards around how the department will address bus shortages in the future. In particular, La Chica said, she would like the department to offer families more advanced notice the next time bus routes are disrupted since not all students live within walking distance from their schools.

“Two weeks right before school starts is just unacceptable,” La Chica said.

“One goal is to bring the community together so they have the knowledge, tools, and resources so that, in the event of another wildfire or disaster, they can make informed decisions for themselves, their families, and their neighbors,” shared Rep. La Chica. “It’s about activating our communities to work together, take care of one another, and be prepared.”

La Chica said the cleanup is a positive example of how the state, military and community organizations can collaborate to address the homelessness problem on Oahu.

"The collective efforts to address the encampment, provide essential outreach services, and clear the remaining debris were only made possible through the coordinated efforts between U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii, state agencies, and Achieve Zero," she said. "This process represents the impact that similar partnerships can have in our community and I extend my deepest gratitude to our partners."

"State Rep. Trish La Chica experienced firsthand what it takes for a student to get to Pearl City High School from Koa Ridge on TheBus now that the school bus route is suspended."

State Rep. Trish La Chica of District 37 says safety is a high priority in the community.

"Clearly this is top of mind," she said. "And as a mom raising two kids, similar to many parents in our community. It’s a very high priority to us."

The state representative wants to find solutions to the impacts that poverty, corruption and political instability have on citizens' everyday lives.

"Despite our significant presence here [in Hawaii], I feel that a lot of Filipinos still face a lot of challenges related to economic self-sufficiency – struggles with economic autonomy and securing positions of leadership," La Chica said.

One solution, La Chica added, would be to establish a conference for Filipino leaders in Hawaii to further promote economic development and sustainability, develop business relations and cultivate community growth.

This legislative session, I introduced HCR162/SCR107, a resolution to expand crisis response teams to Central Oahu to help address the police staffing shortage.

"[SB975] is a measure that would regulate e-cigarettes as they remain to be the only tobacco product unregulated in the state." said Representative Trish La Chica (D-37, Portions of Mililani Town, Mililani Mauka, Koa Ridge, and Waipi'o Gentry).

La Chica formerly served as the City and County of Honolulu executive director of the Mayor's Office of Housing and Homelessness in 2022 and as the community government relations manager at AlohaCare. She's also been a member of the Mililani Neighborhood Board.

During a Wednesday press conference, La Chica said she'd like to focus on lowering the cost of living and transportation needs.