By: Clardy, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Hughes) H.B. No. 684
         (In the Senate - Received from the House April 16, 2019;
  April 17, 2019, read first time and referred to Committee on
  Education; May 8, 2019, reported adversely, with favorable
  Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 11, Nays 0;
  May 8, 2019, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 684 By:  Hughes
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the care of students with seizure disorders and the
  training requirements for certain school personnel regarding
  seizure recognition and related first aid.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  This Act may be cited as Sam's Law.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter A, Chapter 38, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Sections 38.032, 38.033, and 38.034 to read as
  follows:
         Sec. 38.032.  SEIZURE MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENT PLAN. (a)  
  The parent or guardian of a student with a seizure disorder who
  seeks care for the student's seizures while the student is at school
  or participating in a school activity must submit to the school
  district at which the student is enrolled a copy of a seizure
  management and treatment plan developed by the student's parent or
  guardian and the physician responsible for the student's seizure
  treatment.  The plan must be submitted to and reviewed by the
  district:
               (1)  before or at the beginning of the school year;
               (2)  on enrollment of the student, if the student
  enrolls in the district after the beginning of the school year; or
               (3)  as soon as practicable following a diagnosis of a
  seizure disorder for the student.
         (b)  A seizure management and treatment plan must:
               (1)  identify the health care services the student may
  receive at school or while participating in a school activity;
               (2)  evaluate the student's ability to manage and level
  of understanding of the student's seizures; and
               (3)  be signed by the student's parent or guardian and
  the physician responsible for the student's seizure treatment.
         (c)  The care of a student with a seizure disorder by a
  district employee under a seizure management plan submitted under
  this section is incident to or within the scope of the duties of the
  employee's position of employment and involves the exercise of
  judgment or discretion on the part of the employee for purposes of
  Section 22.0511.
         Sec. 38.033.  SEIZURE RECOGNITION AND RELATED FIRST AID
  TRAINING. (a)  A school nurse employed by a school district must
  complete an agency-approved online course of instruction for school
  nurses regarding managing students with seizure disorders that
  includes information about seizure recognition and related first
  aid.
         (b)  A school district employee, other than a school nurse,
  whose duties at the school include regular contact with students
  must complete an agency-approved online course of instruction for
  school personnel regarding awareness of students with seizure
  disorders that includes information about seizure recognition and
  related first aid.
         (c)  The agency may approve an online course of instruction
  provided by a nonprofit national foundation that supports the
  welfare of individuals with epilepsy and seizure disorders to
  satisfy the training required under Subsection (a) or (b).
         (d)  The agency shall adopt rules as necessary to administer
  this section.
         Sec. 38.034.  UNLICENSED SEIZURE CARE ASSISTANT. (a) At
  each school district campus at which a student with a seizure
  disorder is enrolled, the principal shall:
               (1)  seek school employees who are not health care
  professionals to serve as unlicensed seizure care assistants and
  care for students with seizure disorders; and
               (2)  make efforts to ensure that the campus has:
                     (A)  at least one unlicensed seizure care
  assistant if a full-time nurse is assigned to the campus; and
                     (B)  at least three unlicensed seizure care
  assistants if a full-time nurse is not assigned to the campus.
         (b)  An unlicensed seizure care assistant shall serve under
  the supervision of the principal.
         (c)  A school employee may not be subject to any penalty or
  disciplinary action for refusing to serve as an unlicensed seizure
  care assistant.
         (d)  The care of a student with a seizure disorder by a school
  employee who is serving as an unlicensed seizure care assistant is
  incident to or within the scope of the duties of the employee's
  position of employment and involves the exercise of judgment or
  discretion on the part of the employee for purposes of Section
  22.0511.
         (e)  A school nurse is not responsible for and may not be
  subject to disciplinary action under Chapter 301, Occupations Code,
  for actions performed by an unlicensed seizure care assistant.
         SECTION 3.  Not later than December 1, 2019, the Texas
  Education Agency shall approve online courses of instruction to
  satisfy the training requirements of Section 38.033, Education
  Code, as added by this Act.
         SECTION 4.  The change in law made by this Act applies
  beginning with the 2019-2020 school year.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
 
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