Pupil health: epinephrine auto-injectors.

(1) Existing law authorizes a school district or county office of education to provide emergency epinephrine auto-injectors to trained personnel, and authorizes trained personnel to use epinephrine auto-injectors to provide emergency medical aid to persons suffering from an anaphylactic reaction. Existing law authorizes each public and private elementary and secondary school in the state to designate one or more school personnel on a voluntary basis to receive initial and annual refresher training regarding the storage and emergency use of an epinephrine auto-injector, as specified. Existing law authorizes a school nurse, or a person who has received the training described above if the school does not have a school nurse, to, among other things, obtain a prescription for epinephrine auto-injectors. This bill would instead require school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to provide emergency epinephrine auto-injectors to school nurses and trained personnel who have volunteered, as specified, and would authorize school nurses and trained personnel to use epinephrine auto-injectors to provide emergency medical aid to persons suffering, or reasonably believed to be suffering, from an anaphylactic reaction. The bill would require school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to distribute a notice requesting volunteers at least once a year. The bill would require a qualified supervisor of health or administrator at a school district, county office of education, or charter school to obtain the prescription for epinephrine auto-injectors from an authorizing physician and surgeon, as defined, and would authorize the prescription to be filled by local or mail order pharmacies or epinephrine auto-injector manufacturers. The bill would require epinephrine auto-injectors to be stocked and restocked by the qualified supervisor of health or administrator in accordance with specified provisions. By imposing additional duties on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to establish minimum standards of training for the administration of epinephrine auto-injectors, as specified, and requires a school district or county office of education to create a plan relating to its use. This bill would delete the requirement for creating a plan, would revise the training requirements, and would require the Superintendent to review the minimum standards of training at least every 5 years. The bill would require a school district, county office of education, or charter school to ensure that each employee who volunteers is provided defense and indemnification by the school district, county office of education, or charter school for any and all civil liability, as specified. The bill would authorize a state agency, the State Department of Education, or a public school to accept gifts, grants, and donations from any source for the support of the public school carrying out these provisions. By requiring local educational agencies to perform additional duties related to epinephrine auto-injectors, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (3) Existing law authorizes a pharmacy to furnish epinephrine auto-injectors to a school district or county office of education if certain requirements are met. This bill would also authorize a pharmacy to furnish epinephrine auto-injectors to charter schools pursuant to those provisions. (4) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.