Committee reviews bill to let schools stock and use intranasal epinephrine and clarify nurse authority

The committee considered a bill to expand school stock-supply authority for epinephrine by adding intranasal epinephrine (a nasal spray formulation) alongside autoinjectors and by clarifying that school nurses — not school administrators — should direct medical delegation and training.

Representative Leslie Goldman, sponsor of the bill as introduced in the House, said the measure arose from a school nurse’s request to update statute so the new intranasal formulation can be used in emergencies. A state health office witness summarized the bill’s two principal changes: allow stock intranasal epinephrine in schools and adjust delegation language so school nurses, rather than administrators, designate and supervise personnel who may administer epinephrine.

Why it matters: The change would let schools maintain a stock supply of intranasal epinephrine or autoinjectors (or both) for emergency use, clarify who may be authorized to administer the medication, and…