Legislature passes bill requiring schools to have trained employees to give insulin and epilepsy medication to students

A bill to require schools to have an employee on duty to administer insulin and epilepsy medication to students is on its way to Gov. Steve Beshear for final action.

House Bill 98, received final passage Thursday in the House, 96-2, after initial House passage and Senate amendments. The "no" votes were cast by Republican Reps. Ken Upchurch of Monticello and Ben Waide of Madisonville.

The bill would require that a licensed health worker, non-licensed health technician, or trained school employee be on duty at schools to administer or help with self-administration of insulin, other approved diabetes drugs, and seizure-rescue drugs approved by the federal government.

Written permission from a child’s parent or guardian, and instructions from the child’s health-care provider, would be required before any of the medications could be administered. The training requirements would go into effect July 15; the rest of the bill would take effect immediately.

The bill's sponsor, Democratic Rep. Bob Damron of Nicholasville, said it would make Kentucky the 34th state to adopt such legislation.

The bill would also allow children to perform their own blood-glucose checks and self-administer insulin at school with written request of parent or guardians and authorization by the child’s health provider.