Seizure action plans for students approved

Lawmakers passed a bill May 19 that requires each public, private, denominational and parochial school in Nebraska to create individualized health plans for students with seizure disorders.

Under LB639, introduced by Omaha Sen. Jen Day, a school with an enrolled student who has a seizure disorder and requires medication must have at least one employee at each school building who is trained to recognize and respond to seizures and administer the medications.

Before a school employee may administer seizure medication, a student’s parent or guardian must provide a written authorization, a written statement from the student’s doctor and the medication in its unopened, sealed package with the intact label affixed by the dispensing pharmacy.

A parent or guardian also must collaborate with school employees to create a written, individualized health plan to acknowledge and prepare for the health care needs of a student diagnosed with a seizure disorder. Each student’s seizure action plan must be distributed to any school personnel or volunteers responsible for them.

A student must be allowed to possess the supplies, equipment and medication necessary to treat a seizure disorder if specified in the student’s seizure action plan.

LB639 also requires each certificated school employee to review seizure disorder materials at least once every two school years beginning in school year 2022-23.

Finally, the bill requires the State Board of Education to develop requirements for school employee training programs, procedures for developing seizure action plans and the content of those plans.

Senators voted 44-3 to pass LB639.