GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 4
Short Title: Sam's Law. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives Kidwell, Cairns, Biggs, and Paré (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
January 30, 2025
*H4-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO PROVIDE TR AINING TO STUDENTS A ND SCHOOL PERSONNEL ON 2
RECOGNIZING AND RESP ONDING WHEN A PERSON IS EXPERIENCING A 3
SEIZURE. 4
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 5
SECTION 1. This act shall be known as the "Seizure Safe Schools Act of 2025" or 6
"Sam's Law" and may be cited by those names. 7
SECTION 2. Article 25A of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by 8
adding a new section to read: 9
"§ 115C-375.7. Seizure preparedness. 10
(a) Seizure Action Plan. – A written, individualized health plan developed between a 11
school unit and the parent of a student enrolled in the unit who is diagnosed with a seizure 12
disorder. The Plan identifies the health care needs of the student and prepares school personnel 13
to meet those needs. The school unit shall keep each Seizure Action Plan on file in the office of 14
a school administrator or school nurse employed by the unit and make the Plan available to any 15
school personnel and, with the permission of the student's parent, any volunteer responsible for 16
the supervision of the student. Each plan is valid for one school year. 17
(b) Seizure Action Plan Components. – The parent of a student diagnosed with a seizure 18
disorder may petition the student's school unit for the development of a Seizure Action Plan. The 19
parent and school unit shall develop the Plan in accordance with the procedures developed by the 20
governing body of the school unit. At a minimum, the Plan shall include the following 21
components: 22
(1) A written statement from the student's health care provider with all of the 23
following information: 24
a. The student's name. 25
b. Any seizure medication prescribed to the student. 26
c. The dosage and method of administering the seizure medication. 27
d. The frequency of administration of the seizure medication. 28
e. The symptoms necessitating administration of the seizure medication. 29
(2) A written statement from the parent indicating whether school personnel or 30
volunteers are permitted to administer seizure medication to the student. This 31
permission shall be renewed in each subsequent school year the student 32
attends a school in the school unit. 33
(3) If school personnel or volunteers who meet the training requirements of this 34
section are authorized by the parent to administer seizure medication to a 35 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 4-First Edition
student, the parent shall provide the school with at least one unopened dosage 1
of the medication with an intact pharmaceutical label. The school shall store 2
the medication in a safe and secure location accessible only by school 3
personnel or volunteers with training to administer seizure medication in 4
accordance with subsection (c) of this section. 5
(c) Employee Administration of Seizure Medication. – Each school unit shall ensure that 6
at least one employee in each school in the unit is trained to administer or assist with the 7
self-administration of any seizure medication provided to the school pursuant to subsection (b) 8
of this section. The governing body of each school unit shall adopt minimum training 9
requirements for these employees, which shall be consistent with training guidelines established 10
by the Epilepsy Foundation of America, Inc., or its successor. Any volunteer that supervises 11
students with seizure disorders may volunteer to attend the same training. 12
(d) Seizure Education Program. – The governing body of each public school unit shall 13
adopt a policy outlining the requirements of a seizure education program for all school personnel 14
having direct contact with students in grades kindergarten through 12. The seizure education 15
program shall be administered on an annual basis in each public school unit and, at a minimum, 16
shall provide education on the following topics: 17
(1) Instructions for administering seizure medications. 18
(2) Signs and symptoms of seizures and the appropriate steps to be taken to 19
respond to symptoms of a seizure. 20
(3) Any other guidelines established by the Epilepsy Foundation of America, Inc., 21
or its successor. 22
(e) Self-Study Requirement. – The governing body of each school unit shall adopt a 23
policy requiring all principals, school counselors, and teachers in the unit to complete at least one 24
hour of self-study review of seizure disorder materials each school year. The governing body of 25
the unit shall select the materials for study in accordance with current practices and standards. 26
(f) Informational Poster. – The governing body of each school unit shall ensure that an 27
informational display on seizure first aid is posted in at least one visible, high-traffic area in each 28
school in the unit." 29
SECTION 3.(a) G.S. 115C-12 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read: 30
"(50) Duty regarding seizures. – The State Board of Education shall adopt rules 31
regarding seizures in accordance with G.S. 115C-375.7 for all schools 32
operated under the control of the Board." 33
SECTION 3.(b) G.S. 115C-47 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read: 34
"(70) Duty regarding seizures. – Each local board of education shall adopt a policy 35
regarding seizures in accordance with G.S. 115C-375.7." 36
SECTION 3.(c) G.S. 115C-150.12C(15) is amended by adding a new 37
sub-subdivision to read: 38
"c. The board shall adopt a policy regarding seizures in accordance with 39
G.S. 115C-375.7." 40
SECTION 3.(d) G.S. 115C-218.75 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 41
"(p) Seizure Policy. – A charter school shall adopt a policy regarding seizures in 42
accordance with G.S. 115C-375.7." 43
SECTION 3.(e) G.S. 115C-238.66 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read: 44
"(23) Seizure policy. – A regional school shall adopt a policy regarding seizures in 45
accordance with G.S. 115C-375.7." 46
SECTION 3.(f) G.S. 116-11 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read: 47
"(12f) The Board of Governors shall adopt a policy regarding seizures in accordance 48
with G.S. 115C-375.7 for all school units, as defined in that section, operated 49
under the control of the Board of Governors." 50 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
House Bill 4-First Edition Page 3
SECTION 4. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of 1
Public Instruction the sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) in nonrecurring funds to assist the 2
State Board of Education with the development of its seizure policy and with other costs 3
associated with the implementation of this act. The State Board of Education may share any 4
materials or rule language it develops pursuant to Section 3(a) of this act with the Board of 5
Governors of The University of North Carolina and the Division of Nonpublic Schools to 6
facilitate the development of other seizure policies that are consistent with this act. 7
SECTION 5. This act is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning with 8
the 2025-2026 school year. 9