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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2021 - 2022
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | February 28, 2022 12:49 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Doug Mastriano |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Emergency Seizure Treatment During School Activities |
| In the near future, I will be introducing legislation to ensure high school students who rely on life saving medication for seizure disorders are permitted to carry their prescribed medication while participating in school activities. Approximately one out of twenty-six students suffer from Epilepsy in the United States. Epilepsy and other seizure disorders are normally controlled through emergency use medications to stop ongoing seizures. Delayed treatment leads to prolonged seizure activity which can subsequently contribute to long-term brain injury and even death. Presently, the only way a student can fully participate in school activities is if a nurse is present who can administer emergency medication. Current statute prohibits students from being able to carry their own medication. This problem is further compounded as our commonwealth continues to struggle with staffing shortages throughout schools. In Pennsylvania, the nurse to student ratio is one to every 1,500 students. This means that should a student need emergency medication, the school nurse may not be available or able to get to them in a timely manner. Without the proper support personnel, students suffering from epilepsy are often prevented from participating in sports, band, choir, field trips, etc. This robs them from the ability to interact with their peers, maintain autonomy, and safely manage their illness. My legislation will allow these high school students to obtain the same level of responsibility to manage their illness in school as they have at home by amending the school code to clarify that they are permitted to carry their prescribed emergency use medications while participating in school activities. I hope you will join me in co-sponsoring this important legislation. |