HB300 creates the “Seizure Safe Schools Act” and adds new requirements to the Public School Code for the care of students with seizure disorders. The bill requires the Public Education Department to adopt rules for annual seizure-safety training for school employees and bus drivers, and separate training for school nurses and designated seizure care personnel on administering seizure rescue medications and using seizure-related devices. It also requires each school attended by a student with a seizure disorder to have at least two trained employees available, and it sets out a process for schools to recruit volunteers if that minimum is not met.
The bill also requires parents or guardians to provide a seizure action plan for a student seeking seizure care at school. That plan must include physician or advanced practice nurse orders, symptom information, accommodations for school activities, contact information, and a release allowing the school to share medical information with relevant school staff and health care providers. Schools must implement the plan, notify relevant employees and bus drivers, and provide seizure disorder care during school hours and school-sponsored activities, including transportation when needed.
HB300 specifies that seizure care personnel do not need to be health care practitioners and that the act does not override federal disability protections under IDEA, Section 504, or the ADA. It also provides civil and professional immunity for school employees, including nurses and bus drivers, when they act in good faith and in accordance with the act, while excluding willful misconduct, gross negligence, and recklessness from that protection.
The bill’s impact on state law is to create a new statewide framework for seizure disorder management in schools, including training, care protocols, parent-supplied action plans, and liability protections. It would affect public schools, charter schools, and private schools that serve students in person, as well as school employees, nurses, bus drivers, and governing bodies responsible for implementation. It also directs the Public Education Department and the Department of Health to participate in rulemaking and training standards.
No committee transcript or vote history was provided, so there is no recorded legislative debate or voting pattern to assess. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears generally supportive of student health and school preparedness, with the main policy tension centered on requiring schools to provide medical support while limiting liability and allowing non-medical personnel to be trained to administer seizure care.
HB300 would amend the Public School Code by adding a new statutory framework for seizure disorder care in schools. It would require rulemaking by the Public Education Department, mandate annual training for school staff and bus drivers, require seizure action plans for affected students, and obligate schools to provide seizure-related care through trained personnel. It also creates liability protections for good-faith compliance and clarifies that the act does not reduce obligations under IDEA, Section 504, or the ADA.
No committee discussion or vote record was provided, so there is no direct evidence of legislative sentiment from hearings or floor action. The bill’s text suggests a broadly favorable policy approach focused on student safety, emergency preparedness, and access to care in schools. The inclusion of training requirements, parent planning, and immunity provisions indicates an effort to balance student health needs with operational concerns for schools and staff.
The main potential points of contention are the mandate that schools ensure trained personnel are available for students with seizure disorders, the requirement for annual training of all employees and bus drivers, and the use of non-health-care personnel to administer seizure-related care. Schools may also scrutinize the operational burden of maintaining at least two trained staff members per school and providing coverage for trips, extracurriculars, and transportation. The bill addresses one likely concern by making participation voluntary for seizure care personnel and by providing immunity for good-faith actions, but it still places affirmative duties on governing bodies and school administrators.