Bill > HB2360

This bill allows public and private schools to keep a supply of albuterol, a medication used to treat breathing difficulties like asthma, starting in the 2027-28 school year. This albuterol can be obtained through donations but must be accompanied by a prescription. Licensed healthcare professionals, such as the secretary of health or their designee, can prescribe albuterol for the school to keep on hand for emergencies, along with a standing order that authorizes its use for students experiencing respiratory symptoms. The bill clarifies that this does not change existing rules for students who already have their own albuterol prescriptions or are allowed to self-administer them. When a student needs albuterol from the school's supply, it must be administered according to a uniform procedure: if the student has a prescription on file, a school nurse or trained personnel can administer it, but if the student does not have a prescription or their own albuterol, only a school nurse can administer it. Schools must immediately inform parents or guardians when albuterol is administered or when a student self-administers their own medication. This albuterol supply can be used and administered on school property, including buses, and during school-sponsored trips or excursions, with school nurses or trained personnel authorized to carry a reasonable amount. The bill also includes provisions to protect healthcare professionals and school personnel from liability when albuterol is administered in good faith and in compliance with prescriptions and school policies, while allowing school employees (except nurses) to opt out of managing albuterol. For the purposes of this bill, "albuterol" refers to albuterol in various forms used for inhalers or nebulizers.