Massachusetts H 611: An Act to assure opportunity for all students with disabilities

Bill Text

1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1431 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 611

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Bradley H. Jones, Jr.
_________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to emergency stock epinephrine in schools.
_______________
PETITION OF:

NAME: DISTRICT/ADDRESS: DATE ADDED:
Bradley H. Jones, Jr. 20th Middlesex 1/14/2025
Kimberly N. Ferguson 1st Worcester 1/15/2025
Paul K. Frost 7th Worcester 1/31/2025
Todd M. Smola 1st Hampden 3/10/2025
Hannah Kane 11th Worcester 1/28/2025
Alyson M. Sullivan-Almeida 7th Plymouth 2/11/2025
Susannah M. Whipps 2nd Franklin 3/30/2025
Christopher Richard Flanagan 1st Barnstable 3/31/2025
Marcus S. Vaughn 9th Norfolk 4/10/2025
Marc T. Lombardo 22nd Middlesex 4/15/2025
Natalie M. Higgins 4th Worcester 4/15/2025
James C. Arena-DeRosa 8th Middlesex 4/15/2025
Carmine Lawrence Gentile 13th Middlesex 4/17/2025
John F. Keenan Norfolk and Plymouth 4/22/2025
Samantha Montaño 15th Suffolk 5/5/2025
Patrick Joseph Kearney 4th Plymouth 5/5/2025
Patrick M. O'Connor First Plymouth and Norfolk 5/5/2025
James B. Eldridge Middlesex and Worcester 5/16/2025

2 of 2
Thomas W. Moakley Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket 6/24/2025
Greg Schwartz 12th Middlesex 7/2/2025
Michelle L. Badger 1st Plymouth 7/24/2025
John J. Marsi 6th Worcester 7/24/2025

1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1431 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 611
By Representative Jones of North Reading, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 611) of
Bradley H. Jones, Jr., and others that schools be required to maintain non-patient specific
epinephrine auto-injectors to be used in the event of anaphylactic emergencies. Education.

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 507 OF 2023-2024.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
_______________

An Act relative to emergency stock epinephrine in schools.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:

1 SECTION 1. Section 54B of chapter 71 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022
2 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking the third paragraph and inserting in place thereof
3 the following:—
4 Notwithstanding any general or special law or regulation to the contrary, each school
5 shall maintain a stock supply of non-patient specific epinephrine to be administered in the event
6 of an anaphylactic emergency. The department of public health shall promulgate regulations
7 requiring school districts to adopt and implement policies pursuant to this section. Such
8 regulations shall require that stock epinephrine be stored in an easily accessible unlocked
9 location, the number and type of epinephrine auto-injectors required be based on school
10 population, that the individuals authorized to administer epinephrine meet certain training

2 of 2
11 requirements for such administration, and that the stock inventory be checked at regular intervals
12 for expiration and replacement. A school nurse or other authorized individual who provides,
13 administers, or assists in the administration of epinephrine to a student believed in good faith to
14 be having an anaphylactic reaction shall not be liable for any civil damages for negligence in acts
15 or omissions resulting from the rendering of such treatment. Whenever any employee of a school
16 district is covered by the immunity granted herein, the school district employing the individual
17 shall not be liable for any civil damages for negligence in acts or omissions resulting from the
18 rendering of such treatment.
19 SECTION 2. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the department
20 of public health in conjunction with the department of elementary and secondary education shall
21 make all reasonable efforts to obtain federal funding or reimbursement for the implementation of
22 this act. The department of public health in conjunction with the department of elementary and
23 secondary education shall inquire about free epinephrine from pharmaceutical companies.