SB196 would require every Hawaii public school and public charter school to have staff trained and authorized to administer epinephrine for emergency treatment of anaphylaxis. The bill sets a minimum staffing standard based on school size and building layout: at least one trained staff member per 100 students or one trained staff member on each floor of a school building accessible to students, whichever is greater. It also requires schools to prominently display signs in school buildings that identify the symptoms of anaphylaxis and explain the proper method for administering epinephrine.
The bill further directs the Department of Education to adopt rules to implement these requirements and includes an appropriation from general revenues for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 to fund staff training. The measure would amend both chapter 302A, governing public schools, and chapter 302D, governing public charter schools, creating parallel epinephrine-administration requirements for both systems effective July 1, 2025.
Impact
SB196 would add new statutory duties for public schools and public charter schools in Hawaii by establishing epinephrine preparedness requirements, signage obligations, and rulemaking authority for the Department of Education. It would also create a recurring state funding obligation for staff training, with the exact appropriation amount left blank in the introduced bill, and would likely require schools to adjust training, emergency response protocols, and compliance practices.
Sentiment
The available record shows no committee transcript, vote tally, or recorded opposition, so the bill’s sentiment cannot be measured from debate. Based on the text and title, the measure appears to be a straightforward student health and safety proposal aimed at improving emergency response to allergic reactions in schools, and its referral to EDU/HHS and WAM suggests it was treated as both an education and funding matter.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. Potential issues that could arise from the bill’s requirements include the cost of training and compliance, the staffing burden on schools, and questions about how the Department of Education would implement and enforce the minimum trained-staff standard across different campuses and building layouts. Because the appropriation amount is unspecified, funding adequacy could also become a point of discussion.
Requesting The Department Of Education To Establish A Pilot Program In Public Schools And Charter Schools To Have Available Staff Trained In Epinephrine Administration.
Requesting The Department Of Education To Establish A Pilot Program In Public Schools And Charter Schools To Have Available Staff Trained In Epinephrine Administration.