Substitute House Bill No. 6975
Special Act No. 15-17
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A TASK FORCE TO STUDY LIFE-THREATENING FOOD ALLERGIES IN SCHOOLS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. (Effective from passage) (a) There is established a task force to study life-threatening food allergies in schools. The task force shall examine (1) the efficacy of the implementation, dissemination and enforcement of the guidelines for the management of students with life-threatening food allergies and glycogen storage disease, developed by the Department of Education pursuant to section 10-212c of the general statutes, (2) methods used by school districts to ensure the safety of students with life-threatening food allergies while such students are being transported to and from school, (3) the plans for the management of students with life-threatening food allergies and glycogen storage disease, implemented by local and regional boards of education pursuant to section 10-212c of the general statutes, to ensure the safety of students with life-threatening food allergies and their inclusion as fully participating members in the school community, (4) the emotional and psychosocial welfare of students with life-threatening food allergies as it relates to and is influenced by such students' membership in the school community and how such students are included or excluded from participating in school events, and (5) how instances of isolation or targeting of students with life-threatening food allergies by other students, school staff or school policy are addressed by the school or district administration.
(b) The task force shall consist of the following members:
(1) Two appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be a representative of the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education and one of whom shall be a physician who is an allergist;
(2) Two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of whom shall be a certified teacher in a public elementary school and one of whom shall be the parent or guardian of a student with a life-threatening food allergy enrolled in a public school in the state;
(3) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives, who shall be the principal of a public middle school in the state;
(4) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, who shall be a school nurse supervisor;
(5) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives, who shall be the parent or guardian of a student with a life-threatening food allergy enrolled in a public school in the state;
(6) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, who shall be a food service director or cafeteria supervisor employed by a local or regional board of education;
(7) The Commissioner of Public Health, or the commissioner's designee;
(8) The Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee; and
(9) One person appointed by the Governor, who shall be a mental health professional with an expertise in school climate.
(c) Any member of the task force appointed under subdivision (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) or (6) of subsection (b) of this section may be a member of the General Assembly.
(d) All appointments to the task force shall be made not later than thirty days after the effective date of this section. Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority.
(e) The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro tempore of the Senate shall select the chairpersons of the task force from among the members of the task force. Such chairpersons shall schedule the first meeting of the task force, which shall be held not later than sixty days after the effective date of this section.
(f) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public health shall serve as administrative staff of the task force.
(g) Not later than January 1, 2016, the task force shall submit a report on its findings and recommendations to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public health and education, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes. The task force shall terminate on the date that it submits such report or January 1, 2016, whichever is later.