Under a new law, public schools are required to stock emergency epinephrine auto injectors for students with severe allergies and volunteer staff are required to administer the EpiPens. This change came when the governor signed SB 1266 (Huff, R-Diamond Bar).

In July, the AFT Convention overwhelmingly approved a resolution introduced by CCE President Paula Phillips asking for federal regulation of medical procedures to protect members.

While SB 1266 includes some training provisions and civil liability protections, requiring staff to make life-or-death decisions outside of their expertise is a lot to ask, said Phillips. “If they do something wrong and a child loses their life, the emotional burdens will last a lifetime.”

CFT’s “Healthy Kids, Healthy Minds” legislation would have assigned a nurse and a mental health professional in every public school, but the bill stalled in the Appropriations Committee.

Read SB 1266 on the state legislative website