Share:
Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2015 - 2016
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 2, 2014 04:32 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Matt Smith |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Requiring Emergency Epinephrine Auto-Injectors for Public and Private Schools |
| In the near future, I will be re-introducing legislation similar to SB 898 of the 2013-2014 legislative session. This legislation will require public and private schools to stock emergency epinephrine auto-injectors for use in response to life-threatening allergic reactions in schools I have been championing the issue of providing emergency epinephrine in schools and other locations throughout my tenure in the legislature. I was proud to strongly support the passage of Act 195 of 2014 which provides schools the option of choosing to stock emergency auto- injectors. This was a significant step in the right direction of providing additional protection for school students in the Commonwealth, but I firmly believe we need to go further and require all schools to stock epinephrine auto-injectors. This legislation is particularly vital given the data strongly suggesting that up to 25% of all epinephrine administration occurs in a school setting where the student’s risk for anaphylaxis was unknown at the time of the event. In addition, use of epinephrine within minutes of a student’s food allergy exposure can literally save a child’s life by opening his or her airways until emergency personnel arrive. Last session co-sponsors of SB 898 included Wozniak, Teplitz, Vulakovich, Washington, Fontana, Rafferty, Solobay, Costa, Browne, Farnese, Tartaglione, Ferlo, Blake and Leach. Please join me in co-sponsoring this important legislation. If you have questions regarding this legislation please contact my office at 717-787-5839. |