Needle Free Epinephrine for Schoolchildren.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 1
SENATE BILL 752

Short Title: Needle Free Epinephrine for Schoolchildren. (Public)
Sponsors: Senators Bradley, Adcock, and Theodros (Primary Sponsors).
Referred to: Rules and Operations of the Senate
March 26, 2025
*S752-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO ALLOW THE USE OF EPINEPHRINE N ASAL SPRAY IN ADDITI ON TO 2
AUTO-INJECTORS IN SCHOOLS. 3
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 4
SECTION 1.(a) G.S. 115C-375.2(a) reads as rewritten: 5
"(a) Local boards of education shall adopt a policy authorizing a student with asthma or a 6
student subject to anaphylactic reactions, or both, to possess and self -administer asthma 7
medication on school property during the school day, at school-sponsored activities, or while in 8
transit to or from school or school-sponsored events. As used in this section, "asthma medication" 9
means a medicine prescribed for the treatment of asthma or anaphylactic reactions and includes 10
a prescribed asthma inhaler or epinephrine auto-injector. product. The policy shall include a 11
requirement that the student's parent or guardian provide to the school: 12
…." 13
SECTION 1.(b) G.S. 115C-375.2A reads as rewritten: 14
"§ 115C-375.2A. School supply of epinephrine auto-injectors.products. 15
(a) A local board of education shall provide for a supply of emergency epinephrine 16
auto-injectorsproducts on school property for use by trained school personnel to provide 17
emergency medical aid to persons suffering from an anaphylactic reaction during the school day 18
and at school -sponsored ev ents on school property. Each school shall store in a secure but 19
unlocked and easily accessible location a minimum of two epinephrine auto-injectors.products. 20
For purposes of this section, "school property" does not include transportation to or from school. 21
(b) For the purposes of this section and G.S. 115C-375.2, "epinephrine 22
auto-injector"product" means a disposable drug delivery system with a spring -activated, 23
concealed needle that is designed for emergency administration of epinephrine to provide rapid, 24
convenient first aid for persons suffering a potentially fatal reaction to anaphylaxis.anaphylaxis, 25
including nasal sprays and injectors with a spring-activated, concealed needle. 26
(c) The principal shall designate one or more school personnel, as part of the medical 27
care program under G.S. 115C-375.1, to receive initial training and annual retraining from a 28
school nurse or qualified representative of the local health department regarding the storage and 29
emergency use of an epinephrine auto-injector.products. Notwithstanding any other provision of 30
law to the contrary, the school nurse or other designated school personnel who has received 31
training under this subsection shall obtain a non-patient specific prescription for an epinephrine 32
auto-injectorsproduct from a physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner of the local 33
health department serving the area in which the local school administrative unit is located. 34
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 Senate Bill 752-First Edition
(d) The principal shall collaborate with appropriate school personnel to develop an 1
emergency action plan for the use of epinephrine auto-injectorsproducts in an emergency. The 2
plan shall include at least the following components: 3
(1) Standards and procedures for the storage and emergency use of epinephrine 4
auto-injectorsproducts by trained school personnel. 5
(2) Training of school personnel in recognizing symptoms of anaphylaxis. 6
(3) Emergency follow-up procedures, including calling emergency services and 7
contacting a student's parent and physician. 8
(4) Instruction and certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation. 9
(e) A supply of emergency epinephrine auto-injectorsproducts provided in accordance 10
with this section shall not be used as the sole medication suppl y for students known to have a 11
medical condition requiring the availability or use of an epinephrine auto-injector.product. Those 12
students may be authorized to possess and self -administer their medication on school property 13
under G.S. 115C-375.2. 14
…." 15
SECTION 2.(a) 115C-218.75(a) reads as rewritten: 16
"§ 115C-218.75. General operating requirements. 17
(a) Health and Safety Standards. – A charter school shall meet the same health and safety 18
requirements required of a local school administrative unit.unit, including the following: 19
(1) The Department of Public Instruction shall ensure that charter schools provide 20
parents and guardians with information about meningococcal meningitis and 21
influenza and their vaccines at the beginning of every school year. This 22
information shall include the causes, symptoms, and how meningococcal 23
meningitis and influenza are spread and the places where parents and 24
guardians may obtain additional information and vaccinations for their 25
children. 26
(2) The Department of Public Instruc tion shall also ensure that charter schools 27
provide parents and guardians with information about cervical cancer, cervical 28
dysplasia, human papillomavirus, and the vaccines available to prevent these 29
diseases. This information shall be provided at the begi nning of the school 30
year to parents of children entering grades five through 12. This information 31
shall include the causes and symptoms of these diseases, how they are 32
transmitted, how they may be prevented by vaccination, including the benefits 33
and possib le side effects of vaccination, and the places where parents and 34
guardians may obtain additional information and vaccinations for their 35
children. 36
(3) The Department of Public Instruction shall also ensure that charter schools 37
provide students in grades seven through 12 with information annually on the 38
preventable risks for preterm birth in subsequent pregnancies, including 39
induced abortion, smoking, alcohol consumption, the use of illicit drugs, and 40
inadequate prenatal care. 41
(4) The Department of Public Ins truction shall also ensure that charter schools 42
provide students in grades nine through 12 with information annually on the 43
manner in which a parent may lawfully abandon a newborn baby with a 44
responsible person, in accordance with Article 5A of Chapter 7B of the 45
General Statutes. 46
(5) The Department of Public Instruction shall also ensure that the guidelines for 47
individual diabetes care plans adopted by the State Board of Education under 48
G.S. 115C-12(31) are implemented in charter schools in which students with 49
diabetes are enrolled and that charter schools otherwise comply with 50
G.S. 115C-375.3. 51
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Senate Bill 752-First Edition Page 3
(6) The Department of Public Instruction shall ensure that charter schools comply 1
with G.S. 115C-375.2A. The board of directors of a charter school shall 2
provide the school with a supply of emergency epinephrine 3
auto-injectorsproducts necessary to meet the requirements of 4
G.S. 115C-375.2A." 5
SECTION 2.(b) G.S. 115C-238.66(7) reads as rewritten: 6
"(7) Health and safety. – The board of directors shall require that the re gional 7
school meet the same health and safety standards required of a local school 8
administrative unit. 9
The Department of Public Instruction shall ensure that regional schools 10
comply with G.S. 115C-375.2A. The board of directors of a regional school 11
shall provide the school with a supply of emergency epinephrine 12
auto-injectorsproducts necessary to carry out the provisions of 13
G.S. 115C-375.2A." 14
SECTION 3. This act is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning with 15
the 2025-2026 school year. 16
17