AN ACT Relating to expanding access to albuterol in public and private schools;
Summary
HB 2360 expands access to albuterol in Washington public schools, private schools, charter schools, and state-tribal compact schools. The bill authorizes schools and school districts to maintain a supply of albuterol at designated locations on school property, including for use on school buses, playgrounds, field trips, and other sanctioned off-campus activities. It allows albuterol to be obtained through donation or by prescription written in the name of the school or district, and requires that use be tied to a standing order or other authorized prescribing arrangement.
The bill also establishes procedures for access and administration. If a student has an albuterol prescription on file, a school nurse or designated trained school personnel may administer it; if not, only a school nurse may administer the school-supplied medication. Schools must notify parents or guardians when albuterol is administered or when a student self-administers and the school is aware of it. The bill further provides liability protections for prescribers and pharmacists acting without conscious disregard for safety, and it allows school employees who do not want albuterol management as part of their job duties to file a written refusal without adverse employment consequences.
Impact
HB 2360 amends Washington school health and medication statutes, including RCW provisions governing school operation and student medication self-administration, and adds a new section to chapter 28A RCW. It requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Department of Health to develop a uniform policy and training standards for school staff on asthma symptom treatment, monitoring, and albuterol administration, and it directs school districts to adopt asthma rescue procedures and related policies. The bill also expands the legal framework for emergency respiratory care in schools by creating standardized access, storage, documentation, transportation, and administration rules for albuterol in school settings.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly supported and largely noncontroversial in the legislative process. It passed the House Education Committee unanimously, cleared Senate committee unanimously, and passed the Senate floor 48-0, indicating strong bipartisan agreement on improving emergency asthma care in schools. The House final passage was more divided at 77-16, but the overall vote history still reflects substantial support for the measure.
Contention
The main points of contention likely centered on implementation burdens, staff responsibilities, and liability. The bill explicitly allows school employees to decline albuterol management duties in writing, suggesting concern about requiring staff to handle medication administration. It also includes liability protections for health professionals and schools, which indicates attention to legal risk and the need to define responsibility when medication is provided or administered. Another potential issue is the requirement that districts adopt policies and training, which may raise administrative and operational concerns for schools even though the bill’s overall purpose is widely supported.