The bill amends Chapter 16-21 of the General Laws, titled "Health and Safety of Pupils," by introducing new sections focused on the management of seizure disorders in schools. It establishes a "seizure action plan," which is a collaborative effort between the parent or guardian, the child's physician, and the school nurse to ensure that students diagnosed with seizure disorders receive appropriate care. The seizure action plan must include assurance of access and administration of prescribed medications, physician instructions for administering seizure medications, and recognition of seizure symptoms along with appropriate response steps.

The bill mandates that parents provide written authorization and specific medical information before any seizure medications can be administered at school. This includes a written statement from the student's healthcare practitioner detailing the student's name, medication name and purpose, prescribed dosage, route of administration, frequency, and circumstances for administration. The prescribed medication must be provided to the school in its unopened, sealed package.

Additionally, the bill outlines requirements for the administration of seizure rescue medications, particularly those delivered via nasal route, ensuring that school personnel are trained in seizure first aid using programs from the Epilepsy Foundation and CPR certification from recognized organizations. It requires that pre-dosed and pre-packaged seizure rescue medications be stored securely and that training for administration may be provided by qualified healthcare professionals, while school nurses are not required to provide this training.

The bill also stipulates that a parent or legal guardian must provide a seizure action plan or physician's order signed by the student's healthcare provider, which prescribes the necessary care and assistance. The seizure action plan must be kept on file and distributed to relevant school personnel and volunteers responsible for the student's care.

Furthermore, every public, private, and parochial school or school district is required to provide training to staff on recognizing seizure signs and symptoms and appropriate first aid steps. The training programs must align with guidelines from the Epilepsy Foundation. The bill includes provisions to protect school employees from liability when acting in good faith in accordance with the seizure action plan.

The act will take effect upon passage.