Allows for unlicensed personnel to administer certain seizure rescue medication in schools, on school grounds and at school events; provides that such medicine may be left with a school health official to be used as needed.
Summary
This bill amends the Education Law to expand who may administer certain emergency medications in schools and to add specific rules for students with epilepsy. It authorizes school districts, BOCES, and nonpublic schools to train unlicensed school personnel to administer prescribed seizure rescue medication—specifically diazepam or midazolam nasal spray—in emergency situations when a licensed health professional is not available, in addition to existing authority for glucagon and epinephrine auto-injectors. Training must be provided by a licensed health professional and follow regulations set by the commissioner.
The bill also creates new provisions for students diagnosed with epilepsy. It allows such students, with written permission from a physician or other authorized health care provider and written parental consent, to carry and use prescribed diazepam or midazolam nasal spray during the school day and at school functions. Schools must also allow a spare dose to be kept with a licensed school health professional, if requested by a parent or guardian, while clarifying that schools are not required to keep a licensed clinician on site solely for that purpose. The bill includes liability protections for districts, BOCES, and their employees acting in reasonable good faith under these rules.
Impact
The bill would amend sections of the Education Law governing school health services and student medication access, and it would add new sections specifically addressing epilepsy-related seizure rescue medication. It expands the scope of school personnel who may be trained to administer emergency medication, creates a framework for student self-carry and self-administration of nasal seizure rescue medication, and establishes procedures for parental consent, physician authorization, recordkeeping, and storage of an extra dose with school health staff. It also provides liability protection for schools and their agents when complying in good faith.
Sentiment
The overall sentiment reflected by the bill text is supportive of improving emergency seizure care access in schools and reducing barriers to timely treatment. The measure is framed as a student safety and access bill, with no recorded votes or committee transcript opposition in the provided materials. Its structure suggests a practical, medically oriented approach aimed at ensuring medication can be administered quickly when needed.
Contention
The main policy tension is between expanding access to seizure rescue medication and maintaining safeguards around training, medical authorization, and school liability. The bill permits unlicensed personnel to administer medication only after training by licensed professionals and only in emergency situations when licensed staff are unavailable, which appears designed to address concerns about delegation of medical tasks. Another point of potential concern is the requirement for schools to allow students to carry medication and keep a spare dose, balanced against language stating that schools are not required to retain licensed medical staff solely for that purpose or have such staff available at all times.
Same As
Allows for unlicensed personnel to administer certain seizure rescue medication in schools, on school grounds and at school events; provides that such medicine may be left with a school health official to be used as needed.
Allows for unlicensed personnel to administer certain seizure rescue medication in schools, on school grounds and at school events; provides that such medicine may be left with a school health official to be used as needed.
Allows for unlicensed personnel to administer certain seizure rescue medication in schools, on school grounds and at school events; provides that such medicine may be left with a school health official to be used as needed.
Requires school districts to maintain supply of nasal rescue medication and oxygen for seizure emergencies; provides for training of designees to administer nasal rescue medication and oxygen when school nurse is not physically present.
Requires school districts to maintain supply of nasal rescue medication and oxygen for seizure emergencies; provides for training of designees to administer nasal rescue medication and oxygen when school nurse is not physically present.
Requires public schools to develop policy for administration of nasal seizure rescue medication and use of manual vagas nerve stimulators for students with seizure disorder on emergent basis.