THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	79
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

requesting the department of education to conduct a study on whether teachers and school personnel should be trained in the use of, and be equipped with, pepper spray.

WHEREAS, ensuring the safety and security of students, teachers, and school personnel is of paramount importance; and

WHEREAS, incidents of violence and threats in schools across the United States have underscored the need for proactive security measures to deter potential intruders and protect educators and students from harm; and

WHEREAS, providing school personnel with non-lethal defensive tools, such as pepper spray, may serve as a form of security and empower teachers to respond effectively to potential threats; and

WHEREAS, other states have considered policies to allow trained school personnel to carry non-lethal self-defense tools as a means of protection in an emergency situation; and

WHEREAS, proper training and guidelines are critical to ensure the responsible use of pepper spray in school settings, including clear protocols for deployment, storage, and accountability; and

WHEREAS, equipping teachers and school personnel with non-lethal self-defense tools may deter potential intruders, empower teachers to respond effectively in an emergency situation, and provide a safe and secure learning environment for educational communities; and

WHEREAS, before any policy implementation, an assessment of the potential benefits, risks, and legal implications of equipping school personnel in the State with pepper spray should be conducted; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of Education is requested to conduct a study on whether teachers and school personnel should be trained in the use of, and equipped with, pepper spray; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study is requested to include but not be limited to:

(1) An examination of school safety data and incidents involving violence of threats against Hawaii public schools;

(2) A review of policies in other states regarding the use of pepper spray by school personnel;

(3) An assessment of the potential benefits and risks associated with equipping school personnel with pepper spray, including health considerations and legal implications;

(4) Input from school administrators, teachers, parents, students, law enforcement, and security experts; and

(5) Recommendations on best practices for training, storage, and appropriate use of pepper spray in schools; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2026; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Education and Superintendent of Education.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title:

DOE; Pepper Spray; Teachers; Public Safety; Study; Report