Committee advances bill to expand school access to epinephrine and liability protections

The House Education Committee reported Substitute Senate Bill 5,240 out of committee with a due‑pass recommendation after adopting a striking amendment broadening how schools may respond to suspected anaphylaxis.

Megan, committee staff, told the panel the striking amendment H3616.1 expands authorization for school nurses and designated trained personnel to administer single‑use, pre‑measured epinephrine devices “regardless of whether the student has a prescription on file,” and extends related liability protections and training documentation requirements to charter and state‑tribal education compact schools. The amendment also clarifies that epinephrine may be transported on sanctioned excursions and adds an intent section, among other technical edits.

Representative Marshall, the amendment’s mover, pressed the public‑safety rationale. “Anybody who’s actually seen an anaphylactic reaction and seen what epinephrine can do, knows the importance of having it readily available,” Marshall said, and warned that the “number one cause of death is delayed administration of epinephrine.” Vice Chair Shavers described the striker as bringing “greater clarity and precision.”

Committee members briefly questioned a stray reference to albuterol in the draft text; Megan acknowledged the likely copy error and offered to draft a correction to the striker while members caucused. Representative Rood moved an amendment to the amendment to fix the wording from albuterol to epinephrine, and members adopted the correction by voice vote.

After debate and the amendment votes, the committee incorporated adopted changes into a striking amendment and voted to report SSB 5,240 out of committee with a due‑pass as amended. The clerk recorded the vote as 19 ayes, 0 nays, and 0 excused.

The measure now moves to the next stage of the legislative process with the committee’s recommendation that the full chamber give it a due pass.