Sponsored by:
Assemblyman VINCENT M. "VINNIE" KEARNEY
District 21 (Middlesex, Morris, Somerset and Union)
SYNOPSIS
Requires school districts to provide instruction on anaphylaxis as part of New Jersey Student Learning Standards.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning instruction on anaphylaxis in school districts and supplementing chapter 35 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Beginning with the grade nine class entering high school in the first full school year next following the date of enactment of this act, each school district that includes grades nine through 12, or any combination thereof, shall provide instruction on anaphylaxis to each student prior to graduation as part of the district’s implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education.
b. The instruction shall include, but not be limited to, information on:
(1) identifying common causes of anaphylaxis, such as food allergies, insect stings, and medications;
(2) recognizing a severe allergic reaction; and
(3) ways of responding to anaphylaxis emergencies including contacting emergency services, executing first aid protocols, and administering single unit dose epinephrine.
c. The instruction on administering single unit dose epinephrine provided pursuant to this section shall not be construed as explicitly permitting a student to administer epinephrine to another student. The responsibility to administer epinephrine shall remain with the school nurse and designated employees in accordance with the provisions of section 2 of P.L.1997, c.368 (C.18A:40-12.6).
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires school districts to provide instruction on anaphylaxis to each high school student prior to graduation.
Under the bill, the instruction will include information on: (1) identifying common causes of anaphylaxis, such as food allergies, insect stings, and medications; (2) recognizing a severe allergic reaction; and (3) ways of responding to anaphylaxis emergencies including contacting emergency services, executing first aid protocols, and administering single unit dose epinephrine.
The bill stipulates that the instruction provided to students on administering single unit dose epinephrine is not to explicitly permit a student to administer epinephrine to another student. The responsibility to administer epinephrine would remain with the school nurse and designated employees, as provided under current law.