Requesting The Department Of Education To Establish A Pilot Program In Public Schools And Charter Schools To Have Available Staff Trained In Epinephrine Administration.
Summary
SCR228 is a Senate Concurrent Resolution requesting the Hawaii Department of Education to establish a pilot program in public schools and charter schools that would ensure trained and authorized staff are available to administer epinephrine in the event of anaphylaxis. The resolution is grounded in findings that anaphylaxis is a life-threatening emergency and that prompt epinephrine treatment can save lives and improve outcomes. It also recognizes that students and staff in schools may have severe allergies requiring immediate intervention.
The pilot program would, to the extent possible, place a minimum number of trained staff in each school based on the greater of one trained staff member per 100 students or one trained staff member per floor of each school building accessible to students. It would also require clearly legible signage in school buildings identifying anaphylaxis symptoms and the proper method for administering epinephrine. The Department of Education would then report its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature before the 2026 Regular Session.
Impact
Because SCR228 is a concurrent resolution rather than a bill, it does not itself amend the Hawaii Revised Statutes or create a mandatory statewide legal requirement. Instead, it requests that the Department of Education implement a pilot program in public and charter schools and later report back to the Legislature. If adopted and carried out, the resolution could influence school health and safety practices, staff training protocols, emergency response procedures, and future legislation related to allergy treatment and medication administration in schools.
Sentiment
The overall sentiment reflected in the resolution is strongly supportive of expanding school emergency preparedness for anaphylaxis. The measure frames epinephrine access and trained staff as a life-saving public health safeguard, and the absence of recorded opposition, committee testimony, or vote history suggests no documented controversy in the available materials. The tone is precautionary and child-safety oriented, emphasizing timely treatment and readiness in school settings.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided transcripts or voting history. Potential areas that could arise in discussion, though not recorded here, include the feasibility and cost of training staff across all schools, liability concerns for staff administering epinephrine, and whether the staffing ratios and signage requirements are practical for different school layouts and sizes. The resolution’s use of a pilot program and the phrase “to the extent possible” suggests an effort to address implementation concerns while still advancing the policy goal.
Same As
Requesting The Department Of Education To Establish A Pilot Program In Public Schools And Charter Schools To Have Available Staff Trained In Epinephrine Administration.