1 of 1
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 351 FILED ON: 1/12/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1595
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Patrick M. O'Connor
_________________
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 enabling trained school personnel to administer life saving epinephrine treatment.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Patrick M. O'ConnorFirst Plymouth and Norfolk 1 of 3
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 351 FILED ON: 1/12/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1595
By Mr. O'Connor, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1595) of Patrick M. O'Connor for
legislation to enable trained school personnel to administer life saving epinephrine treatment.
Public Health.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 1440 OF 2023-2024.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
_______________
An Act enabling trained school personnel to administer life saving epinephrine treatment.
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 54B of Chapter 71, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended
2by inserting the following after the word "lunchrooms":-
3 A public school district or non-public school, as defined by the department of education,
4may register with the department for the purpose of permitting school personnel to administer
5epinephrine by auto injector in a life-threatening situation during the school day when a school
6nurse is not immediately available, including field trips, provided that the following conditions
7are met:
8 1. the school committee, or, in the case of a non-public school, the chief administrative
9officer, approves policies governing the administration of epinephrine; 2 of 3
10 2. the designated school nurse leader or responsible nurse has final decision making
11authority about the program;
12 3. the school personnel authorized to administer epinephrine by auto injector are trained
13and tested for competency by the designated school nurse leader or responsible school nurse, or
14school nurses designated by this person, in accordance with standards and a curriculum
15established by the department;
16 4. the designated school nurse leader or responsible school nurse manages and has final
17decision making authority about the program;
18 5. the epinephrine is administered for an emergency case of anaphylactic shock, as
19deemed by a properly trained and authorized school personnel, or in accordance with an
20individual medication administration plan;
21 6. when epinephrine is administered, there shall be immediate notification of the local
22emergency medical services system, followed by notification of the student’s parent(s) or
23guardian(s) or, if the parent(s) or guardian(s) are not available, any other designated person(s),
24the school nurse, the student’s physician, and the school physician, to the extent possible;
25 Any school personnel, properly trained and authorized to administer epinephrine, who
26provides, administers, or assists in the administration of epinephrine to a student believed in
27good faith to be having an anaphylactic reaction, or is the prescriber of the epinephrine, shall not
28be liable for any civil damages for ordinary negligence in acts or omissions resulting from the
29rendering of such treatment. 3 of 3
30 Epinephrine may lawfully be prescribed and dispensed to a public school district or non-
31public school registered with the Department. For purposes of this chapter, any such prescription
32shall be regarded as being issued for a legitimate medical purpose in the usual course of
33professional practice. The school district or nonpublic school may maintain said epinephrine kit
34in a secure but unlocked place, as determined by the school nurse leader or responsible school.