HB 1447 — An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in school health services, further providing for possession and use of asthma inhalers and epinephrine auto-injectors and providing for school administration of adrenal insufficiency medication.

PRINTER'S NO.     1692

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1447
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY WARREN, GIRAL, KENYATTA, SANCHEZ, HOWARD, CEPEDA-
        FREYTIZ AND HILL-EVANS, MAY 12, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MAY 13, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
 2      act relating to the public school system, including certain
 3      provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
 4      schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
 5      laws relating thereto," in school health services, further
 6      providing for possession and use of asthma inhalers and
 7      epinephrine auto-injectors and providing for school
 8      administration of adrenal insufficiency medication.
 9      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
10   hereby enacts as follows:
11      Section 1.    Section 1414.1(a), (b), (d) and (f)(1) and (3) of
12   the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public
13   School Code of 1949, are amended to read:
14      Section 1414.1.    Possession and Use of Asthma Inhalers [and],
15   Epinephrine Auto-Injectors and Adrenal Insufficiency
16   Medications.--(a)    Each school entity shall develop a written
17   policy to allow for the possession and self-administration by
18   children of school age of asthma inhalers [and], epinephrine
19   auto-injectors and adrenal insufficiency medications, and the
20   prescribed medication to be administered thereby, in a school
21   setting. The policy shall comply with [section 504 of the
 1   Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Public Law 93-112,] 29 U.S.C. § 794
 2   (relating to nondiscrimination under Federal grants and
 3   programs) and 22 Pa. Code Ch. 15 (relating to protected
 4   handicapped students). The policy shall be distributed with the
 5   code of student conduct required under 22 Pa. Code § 12.3(c)
 6   (relating to school rules) and made available on the school
 7   entity's publicly accessible Internet website, if any.
 8      (b)   The policy under this section shall require a child of
 9   school age that desires to possess and self-administer an asthma
10   inhaler [or], epinephrine auto-injector or adrenal insufficiency
11   medication in a school setting to demonstrate the capability for
12   self-administration and for responsible behavior in the use
13   thereof and to notify the school nurse immediately following
14   each use of an asthma inhaler [or], epinephrine auto-injector or
15   adrenal insufficiency medication. The school entity shall
16   develop a system whereby the child may demonstrate competency to
17   the school nurse that the child is capable of self-
18   administration and has permission for carrying and taking the
19   medication through the use of the asthma inhaler [or],
20   epinephrine auto-injector or adrenal insufficiency medication.
21   Determination of competency for self-administration shall be
22   based on age, cognitive function, maturity and demonstration of
23   responsible behavior. The school entity shall also restrict the
24   availability of the asthma inhaler, the epinephrine auto-
25   injector, the adrenal insufficiency medication and the
26   prescribed medication contained therein from other children of
27   school age. The policy shall specify conditions under which a
28   student may lose the privilege to self-carry the asthma inhaler,
29   the epinephrine auto-injector, the adrenal insufficiency
30   medication and the medication if the school policies are abused

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 1   or ignored. A school entity that prevents a student from self-
 2   carrying an asthma inhaler [or], epinephrine auto-injector or
 3   adrenal insufficiency medication and the prescribed medication
 4   shall ensure that they are appropriately stored at locations in
 5   close proximity to the student prohibited from self-carrying and
 6   notify the student's classroom teachers of the places where the
 7   asthma inhaler [or], epinephrine auto-injector or adrenal
 8   insufficiency medication and medication are to be stored and the
 9   means to access them.
10      * * *
11      (d)   [As used in this section, "school entity"] For purposes
12   of this section:
13      "Adrenal insufficiency medication" means a medication that
14   treats adrenal insufficiency.
15      "School entity" means a school district, intermediate unit,
16   charter school or area career and technical school.
17      * * *
18      (f)   Within one hundred twenty (120) days of the effective
19   date of this subsection, the Department of Health in
20   coordination with the Department of Education shall provide
21   technical assistance and resources and publish information on
22   the Department of Health's publicly accessible Internet website
23   regarding the administration of medication for allergies and
24   adrenal insufficiency by persons employed by a school entity,
25   including the following:
26      (1)   Proper use and administration of epinephrine devices and
27   adrenal insufficiency medications.
28      * * *
29      (3)   Recognition of the symptoms of a severe allergic
30   reaction or adrenal crisis.

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 1      * * *
 2      Section 2.     The act is amended by adding a section to read:
 3      Section 1414.13.    School Administration of Adrenal
 4   Insufficiency Medication.--(a)     A school entity or nonpublic
 5   school may authorize a trained school employe to administer to a
 6   student an adrenal insufficiency medication that the student's
 7   parent or legal guardian has provided to the school employe
 8   trained under subsection (c) for the school entity or nonpublic
 9   school if the trained school employe believes in good faith that
10   the student is having an adrenal crisis.
11      (b)   A school entity or nonpublic school that authorizes the
12   administration of adrenal insufficiency medication under this
13   section shall designate one or more school employes at each
14   school who shall be responsible for the storage and use of the
15   adrenal insufficiency medication.
16      (c)   School employes who are responsible for the storage and
17   use of adrenal insufficiency medication must successfully
18   complete a training program that shall be developed and
19   implemented by the Department of Health within ninety (90) days
20   of the effective date of this subsection.
21      (d)   The student's adrenal insufficiency medication provided
22   to the school entity or nonpublic school by the student's parent
23   or legal guardian for storage may be utilized in either of the
24   following ways:
25      (1)   Provided to a student by the trained school employe and
26   utilized by a student authorized to self-administer.
27      (2)   Administered to a student by the trained school employe
28   authorized to administer adrenal insufficiency medication under
29   subsection (a).
30      (e)   In the event a student is believed to be having an

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 1   adrenal crisis, the school nurse or school employe trained under
 2   subsection (c) shall contact local emergency services as soon as
 3   possible.
 4      (f)   The provisions of 42 Pa.C.S. §§ 8332 (relating to
 5   emergency response provider and bystander good Samaritan civil
 6   immunity) and 8337.1 (relating to civil immunity of school
 7   officers or employees relating to emergency care, first aid and
 8   rescue) shall apply to a person authorized under this section to
 9   administer an adrenal insufficiency medication.
10      (g)   Administration of an adrenal insufficiency medication
11   under this section shall comply with 29 U.S.C. § 794 (relating
12   to nondiscrimination under Federal grants and programs) and 22
13   Pa. Code Ch. 15 (relating to protected handicapped students).
14      (h)   For purposes of this section:
15      "Adrenal crisis" means a sudden, severe worsening of symptoms
16   associated with adrenal insufficiency, such as severe pain in
17   the lower back, abdomen or legs, vomiting, diarrhea,
18   dehydration, low blood pressure or loss of consciousness.
19      "Adrenal insufficiency" means a hormonal disorder that occurs
20   when the adrenal glands do not produce enough adrenal hormones.
21      "Adrenal insufficiency medication" means a medication that
22   treats adrenal insufficiency.
23      "Nonpublic school" shall have the same meaning as defined in
24   section 1502-M.
25      "School entity" means a school district, intermediate unit,
26   charter school, cyber charter school, regional charter school or
27   area career and technical school.
28      Section 3.     This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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