Education (Student Health)

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.

HB 7114 permits schools to assign special community service as a disciplinary measure for students who bully others based on religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or ethnicity. This policy directly affects students who commit such bullying and school administrators implementing disciplinary actions. The key provision replaces traditional punishments (like suspension) with community service for these specific types of bullying incidents. The bill does not define bullying but offers an alternative consequence for violations targeting these protected characteristics. It is currently under review by the House Education committee.

Mandates additional state education funding for the mental and behavioral health of students equal to 2% of the district’s total expenditures, and require those funds be used to hire staff such as school social workers, and behavioral specialists.

Mandates public schools (K-12) have one full-time certified social worker for every 250 students and allocates $2 million in the Fiscal Year 2025 budget for school districts and municipalities to hire additional social workers.