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Senate committee approves allowing nasal epinephrine spray in Montana schools
Summary
A Montana Senate committee recommended Senate Bill 211 do pass, adding nasal‑spray epinephrine to authorized emergency treatments in schools; the measure passed committee by voice with a 49–1 recorded committee vote.
Senate Bill 211, which would add a nasal‑spray epinephrine option to the medicines authorized for emergency use in Montana schools, cleared a Senate committee Tuesday with a strong recorded recommendation.
The bill, introduced and presented in the committee by Senator Newman, would revise existing law that allows emergency use of epinephrine (EpiPen) in schools to explicitly include a nasal spray form. Senator Newman said the spray is “much easier to administer to children in schools” and avoids needles that can be difficult for some staff and students to use. She argued the change could help children who experience anaphylaxis and whose reactions were previously unknown to school staff.
The nut graf: the measure is aimed at expanding options for emergency response in school settings to reduce barriers to timely treatment for anaphylaxis, particularly when a child’s allergy was previously undiagnosed.
Committee discussion was brief and there were no substantive amendments. The committee voted to recommend the bill do pass; the clerk recorded 49 senators voting aye and 1 senator voting nay on the committee recommendation. The committee report placed SB 211 among bills recommended to pass that day.
If enacted, the bill would amend statutory sections governing emergency medical response in schools to include nasal‑spray epinephrine alongside injectable epinephrine, and provide an immediate effective date as drafted.
The sponsor said she hopes the bill will increase awareness and availability of epinephrine options across Montana schools, noting roughly half of Montana schools currently have EpiPens on hand. The bill now moves through the Senate process for further consideration.
Votes at committee: committee recommendation recorded 49 ayes, 1 nay.
