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.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Sharon Moriwaki

The bill directs a DOE study to evaluate whether teachers and staff should be trained and equipped with pepper spray, including safety, legal, and policy implications.

Referred to EDU, WAM.

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Purpose / Intent

SCR 79 is a Senate Concurrent Resolution asking the Department of Education (DOE) to study whether members of the public school workforce should be trained to use, and be equipped with, pepper spray as a non‑lethal defensive measure. The resolution seeks an evidence‑based assessment of potential benefits, risks, legal issues, and best practices before any policy changes are considered.

Key provisions

Directs the DOE to conduct a formal study on the question of training and equipping teachers and school personnel with pepper spray.

Specifies that the study must include, but is not limited to:

Examination of school safety data and incidents of violence or threats in public schools.
Review of other states’ policies concerning pepper spray use by school personnel.
Assessment of potential benefits and risks, including health and legal implications.
Solicitation of input from school administrators, teachers, parents, students, law enforcement, and security experts.
Recommendations on best practices for training, storage, and appropriate use.

Requests the DOE to submit a report of findings and recommendations (including any proposed legislation) to the Legislature no later than 20 days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2026.

Requests certified copies of the resolution be sent to the Chairperson of the Board of Education and the Superintendent of Education.

Who would be affected

DOE (responsible for conducting the study and preparing the report)

Public school employees (teachers, support staff) — subject of the study

Students and parents — potential indirect beneficiaries/subjects of any future policy

School administrators, local law enforcement, labor unions, insurers and security consultants — stakeholders whose input is requested

Legislature — will receive the report to inform potential policy or statutory changes

Procedural / Timeline notes

Classification: Concurrent resolution — a nonbinding legislative request (does not itself change law or authorize issuance/use of pepper spray).

Sponsor: Senator Moriwaki (primary).

Status (as provided): Introduced May 13, 2025; referred to the Education (EDU) and Ways & Means (WAM) committees.

Report due: No later than twenty days prior to the 2026 Regular Session (deadline set in the resolution).

Potential implications to watch

The study could lead to recommended legislative or administrative actions (training programs, storage/handling rules, liability protections, or prohibitions).

Implementation of any recommendations could have budgetary impacts (training, equipment, insurance) and raise safety, legal, and civil‑rights concerns (risk of misuse, accidental exposure).

Outcomes will depend on the DOE’s findings and stakeholder input; any change would require separate, binding action by the Legislature or DOE policy changes.

Bill