Connecticut HB 5515: AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION SERVICES' RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING ACCESS TO OPIOID OVERDOSE REVERSAL MEDICATION AND VARIOUS REVISIONS TO MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION STATUTES.

Bill Text

Substitute House Bill No. 5515 
 
Public Act No. 26-38 
 
 
AN  ACT  CONCERNING  THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  MENTAL  HEALTH 
AND  ADDICTION  SERVICES'  RECOMMENDATIONS  REGARDING 
ACCESS  TO  OPIOID  OVERDOSE  REVERSAL  MEDICATION  AND 
VARIOUS   REVISIONS   TO   MENTAL HEALTH   AND   ADDICTION 
STATUTES. 
Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  in  General 
Assembly convened: 
 
Section  1.  Subsections  (c)  to  (g),  inclusive,  of  section  10-212a of  the 
2026 supplement to the general statutes are repealed and the following 
is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 
(c) The   State   Board   of   Education,   in   consultation   with   the 
Commissioner of Public Health, shall adopt regulations, in accordance 
with  the  provisions  of  chapter  54,  determined  to  be  necessary  by  the 
board  to  carry  out  the  provisions  of  this  section,  including, but  not 
limited to, regulations that (1) specify conditions under which a coach 
of  intramural  and  interscholastic  athletics  may  administer  medicinal 
preparations,  including  controlled  drugs  specified  in  the  regulations 
adopted by the commissioner, to a child participating in such intramural 
and  interscholastic  athletics,  (2)  specify  conditions  and  procedures  for 
the  administration  of  medication  by  school  personnel  to  students, 
including, but not limited to, (A) the conditions and procedures for the 
storage  and  administration  of  epinephrine  by  school  personnel  to 
students  for  the  purpose  of  emergency  first  aid  to  students  who 

Substitute House Bill No. 5515 
 
Public Act No. 26-38 2 of 26 
 
experience  allergic  reactions  and  who  do  not  have  a  prior  written 
authorization for the administration of epinephrine, in accordance with 
the provisions of subdivision (2) of subsection (d) of this section, and (B) 
the  conditions  and  procedures  for  the  storage  and  administration  of 
opioid antagonists by school personnel to students who experience an 
opioid-related  drug  overdose, [and  who  do  not  have  a  prior  written 
authorization   for   the   administration   of   an   opioid   antagonist,] in 
accordance  with  the  provisions  of  subdivision  (1)  of  subsection  (g)  of 
this   section,   and   (3)   specify   conditions   for   the   possession,   self-
administration or possession and self-administration of medication by 
students,  including  permitting  a  child  diagnosed  with:  (A)  Asthma  to 
retain possession  of  an  asthmatic  inhaler  at  all  times  while  attending 
school  for  prompt  treatment  of  the  child's  asthma  and  to  protect  the 
child against serious harm or death provided a written authorization for 
self-administration   of   medication   signed   by   the   child's   parent   or 
guardian and an authorized prescriber is submitted to the school nurse; 
and  (B)  an  allergic  condition  to  retain  possession  of  an  automatic 
prefilled cartridge injector or similar automatic injectable equipment at 
all   times,   including   while attending   school   or   receiving   school 
transportation  services,  for  prompt  treatment  of  the  child's  allergic 
condition  and  to  protect  the  child  against  serious  harm  or  death 
provided a written authorization for self-administration of medication 
signed by the child's parent or guardian and an authorized prescriber is 
submitted    to    the    school    nurse.    The    regulations    shall    require 
authorization pursuant to: (i) The written order of a physician licensed 
to practice medicine in this or another state, a dentist licensed to practice 
dental medicine in this or another state, an advanced practice registered 
nurse licensed under chapter 378, a physician assistant licensed under 
chapter 370, a podiatrist licensed under chapter 375, or an optometrist 
licensed under chapter 380; and (ii) the written authorization of a parent 
or guardian of such child. 
(d) (1) (A) With  the  written  authorization  of  a  student's  parent  or 

Substitute House Bill No. 5515 
 
Public Act No. 26-38 3 of 26 
 
guardian, and (B) pursuant to the written order of a qualified medical 
professional, a school nurse and a school medical advisor, if any, may 
jointly   approve   and   provide   general   supervision   to   an   identified 
paraeducator  to  administer  medication,  including, but  not  limited  to, 
medication administered with a cartridge injector, to a specific student 
with a medically diagnosed allergic condition that may require prompt 
treatment in order to protect the student against serious harm or death. 
Each such paraeducator and any qualified school employee authorized 
to administer epinephrine in the absence of a school nurse pursuant to 
policies and procedures adopted by a board of education in accordance 
with  subdivision  (2)  of  subsection  (a)  of  this  section  shall  annually 
complete the training progr