Bill > H566

This bill requires school districts, vocational districts, charter schools, approved private day or residential schools, and collaborative schools to provide and maintain at least one portable airway clearance device (a medical device that uses suction to remove airway blockages during a choking emergency and is FDA-registered) at each school facility where instruction occurs. The bill mandates that school nurses and cafeteria staff be trained in using these devices. If a school system cannot comply with the requirement, the superintendent or school administration must request a hardship waiver from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). The DESE, in collaboration with the Department of Public Health, will help schools identify grants and funding sources for purchasing these devices. The bill also provides legal protection for school employees who attempt to use the device in good faith during an emergency, shielding them from liability unless they demonstrate gross negligence or willful misconduct. Furthermore, the DESE, working with the Department of Public Health, will establish regulations and guidelines for implementing, training, supporting, and supervising the use of these airway clearance devices in schools.

Education

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H566