Requires schools to follow seizure action plans developed by health care providers of students diagnosed with a seizure disorder; requires schools to provide seizure awareness training to certain employees on the recognition of signs and symptoms of a seizure and the appropriate steps to be taken to respond to such symptoms.
A08726 would add two new sections to the Education Law to create a statewide framework for seizure-related care in schools. It requires parents or guardians of students with diagnosed seizure disorders to provide a seizure action plan prepared by the student’s health care provider, updated annually and as needed, and filed with the school nurse or administrator. The plan must identify the student’s medication and care needs at school or school-sponsored activities, and schools must receive written authorization, provider orders, and properly labeled medication before administering seizure rescue medication or other approved seizure-disorder treatment.
The bill also directs schools to share relevant medical information with appropriate staff, with parental consent, and provides liability protection for school employees acting in good faith. In addition, it requires all public school districts to train principals, teachers, counselors, bus drivers, bus attendants, classroom aides, and other relevant personnel on recognizing seizure symptoms and responding appropriately, on a biennial basis. The commissioner of education would also develop a seizure awareness program for students in grades K-12, and school districts, BOCES, and nonpublic schools would be authorized to train unlicensed personnel to administer seizure rescue medication or use a prescribed vagus nerve stimulator magnet in emergencies when a licensed professional is unavailable.
The bill would amend the Education Law by adding new sections 3001-e and 3001-f and by revising section 921 to expand school authority and obligations regarding seizure care. It would impose new duties on school districts to maintain seizure action plans, train staff, offer student awareness programming, and ensure at least one trained employee in each school building can administer emergency seizure medication or prescribed electronic stimulation. It also affects parents, school nurses, administrators, and other school personnel by setting documentation, consent, and training requirements tied to a student’s seizure disorder care.
The available record shows no committee transcript, vote tally, or recorded opposition, so there is no documented floor or committee sentiment to measure. Based on the bill’s structure and caption, the measure appears to be framed as a student health and school safety bill intended to improve preparedness for children with epilepsy or seizure disorders. The absence of recorded debate or votes means the public legislative sentiment cannot be determined from the provided materials.
The main policy issues likely to draw attention are implementation burden, training requirements, and the scope of school employee responsibilities. The bill requires schools to coordinate with health care providers and parents, maintain updated plans, provide recurring staff training, and ensure emergency coverage in each building, which could raise administrative and staffing concerns. Another possible point of contention is the authorization for unlicensed personnel to administer seizure rescue medication or use a vagus nerve stimulator magnet in emergencies, although the bill limits liability to good-faith acts and excludes willful misconduct, gross negligence, and recklessness.