Staff Report

 

COLUMBUS — State Representatives Mike Duffey (R-Worthington) and Terry Johnson (R-McDermott) recently announced the Ohio House agreed on Senate changes to House Bill 296, legislation that strives to better prepare schools to treat severe allergic reactions among students.

House Bill 296 permissively allows a school, school district and residential or day camp to stock doses of epinephrine on the school premises. The legislation will allow but not require a school or district to adopt a protocol to maintain a stock of epinephrine and allow properly trained personnel to administer the epinephrine to a student, staff member or visitor who exhibits signs of anaphylaxis.

“It’s common sense that schools and camps should have access to life-saving epinephrine when severe allergic reactions occur,” said Rep. Duffey. “Our bill will save parents money and save the lives of children by allowing general use Epi-Pens to be available for anyone whose life is in danger, rather than only those with known allergies.”

“House Bill 296 is a life-saving bill that is good public policy, has had due consideration, has no opponents, and stands ready to go into effect,” said Rep. Johnson. “It provides the caretakers of our children with the ability to intervene when their life is threatened by a previously unknown allergy.”

House Bill 296 outlines the training to be provided, the interaction with medical and school nurse professionals, as well as the liability protection for the trained employees that administer the dose in a proper manner.

Schools currently permit students to carry and self-administer an epinephrine auto-injector if obtained through a physician’s prescription. However, the prevalence of unknown allergies — particularly food-related allergies — is on the rise.

House Bill 296 now moves to Governor Kasich for his signature.