HB2151, titled the Seizure Awareness and Preparedness Act, would amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to create a new federal grant program supporting students with epilepsy or seizure disorders. The Secretary of Education would award competitive grants to states, which in turn would provide subgrants to local educational agencies to fund school-based seizure awareness and preparedness programs.
The bill focuses on training school personnel to recognize and respond to seizures, implement individualized health care plans and individualized emergency health care plans, and support students’ participation in school activities. It also allows funds to be used for training staff to administer seizure medication, educating students, hiring compliance staff, and providing training for school bus drivers. The bill includes recommended plan contents, requires periodic staff training, and provides liability protection for school employees acting in good faith.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would add a new Part G to Title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and create a new federal grant structure for epilepsy and seizure-disorder support in schools. It would affect state education agencies, local school districts, school nurses, bus drivers, and other school personnel by establishing training, planning, and communication requirements tied to grant funding. The bill also authorizes $34.5 million for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 and specifies that grant funds must supplement, not supplant, existing federal or state resources.
Sentiment
The available context suggests generally positive or supportive sentiment, with bipartisan sponsorship from Representatives Norcross, Costa, and Fitzpatrick. The bill was introduced and referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce, and there is no recorded vote or committee transcript indicating opposition or amendment activity. The framing of the bill as a student safety and preparedness measure suggests it is intended as a noncontroversial education and health support proposal.
Contention
No formal contention is documented in the provided materials, but the bill’s main policy choices could raise questions about federal spending, administrative burden on school districts, and the scope of required training and compliance. Potential points of discussion include the competitive grant design, the requirement for recurring staff training, the use of nonprofit national organizations for instruction, and the liability protections for school employees. Any debate would likely center on implementation costs, whether states and districts can meet the program requirements, and how much discretion the Secretary of Education should have in approving other activities.
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.
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.
Requires the department of elementary and secondary education and DOH to adopt policies, rules and regulations for the administration of seizure rescue medications for children who have been medically identified as having epilepsy/seizure disorder.
Requires the department of elementary and secondary education and DOH to adopt policies, rules and regulations for the administration of seizure rescue medications for children who have been medically identified as having epilepsy/seizure disorder.
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.
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.
Requires public schools to develop policy for emergency administration of nasal seizure rescue medication and use of manual vagus nerve stimulator on student with seizure disorder.