Senate committees on Education and Health and Human Services voted to pass Senate Bill 532 with amendments that clarify who may train volunteers to administer medication in Department of Education schools and who may prescribe medications administered at school.

The amended bill allows school staff and agents who volunteer and are trained by a health care professional to administer certain prescribed medications under specific conditions. Heidi Armstrong, superintendent for the Department of Education, said the department stands on its written testimony in support. Ben Kalinski, a pediatric nurse practitioner with DOE’s school health section, explained current qualifications for school health assistants: “a high school diploma, first aid and CPR certification” plus on-the-job orientation and training; those certifications require annual recertification. Kalinski said nurses typically train school health assistants for clinical activities and medication administration.

Department of Health witnesses also testified in support. Anne Horichi from the Attorney General’s office recommended changing the undefined statutory phrase “licensed clinician” because Chapter 302A already defines “health care professional” and the bill’s use of an undefined term could create legal ambiguity; the committee adopted an amendment replacing “licensed clinician” with “health care professional.” Supporters including the Hawaii Academy of Physician Assistants asked that physician assistants be explicitly recognized as prescribers under the statutory cross-references.

Committee members discussed operational issues such as field trips and coverage when a health aide must leave campus; the DOE said volunteers trained to administer medication would be asked to step into that role on a voluntary basis to avoid cancelling student participation in off-campus activities.

The committees adopted the amendments and passed the bill; the Health and Human Services committee recorded adoption with members present and no recorded opposition. The committees defected the effective date to July 1, 2050 in their amendment package. The report will include the Attorney General’s suggested clarifying language.

Votes and outcome: SB532 passed both committees with amendments (term clarified to “health care professional”; effective date defected to 07/01/2050). Recorded roll calls in the Education committee show Chair Kidani and the vice chair voting aye; the committee report will capture the formal roll calls.

Next steps: The bill proceeds with the committees’ clarifying language. The committees asked DOE to coordinate training standards and to clarify how volunteer training would be documented and supervised.