What's happening
This bill requires New York schools to implement a sepsis awareness, prevention, and education program, including curriculum, resources, and website information.
Why it matters
Ensures standardized, evidence-based education. By requiring the creation of a model curriculum and lesson plans on sepsis, the bill aims to provide all schools with consistent, accurate information and prevention strategies, reducing disparities in student health education across districts.
Promotes early detection and intervention. Educating students, staff, and families about the risks, signs, and symptoms of sepsis could lead to earlier recognition and faster medical treatment, potentially saving lives and reducing the severity of illness.
Mandates regular updates and stakeholder involvement. The program must be developed with input from parents, educators, health professionals, and advocacy groups, and includes regular reviews to ensure information stays current with medical understanding, increasing its reliability and relevance.
Expands public health outreach via schools. By requiring information be posted on school and state education websites, and by coordinating annual awareness efforts, the bill leverages schools as community hubs to spread critical health information more broadly to families and the public.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Teach Sepsis Prevention in Schools
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Teach Sepsis Prevention in Schools
In Assembly Committee · Ways And Means · Sponsor Catherine Nolan
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4850
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 3, 2017
Introduced by Sen. MARCELLINO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to directing the commissioner of education to establish rules and regulations for a sepsis awareness and prevention program for school districts, boards of cooperative educational services and nonpublic schools
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as "Rory Staunton's law".
§ 2. Section 305 of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision 56 to read as follows:
56. a. The commissioner shall promulgate and review as necessary, rules and regulations relating to an ongoing sepsis awareness, prevention and education program. In developing such rules and regulations, the commissioner shall consider comments from stakeholders and other interested parties including but not limited to parents, teachers, students, school administrators, medical and health professionals and sepsis awareness and prevention groups. Such regulations shall include, but not be limited to:
(i) requiring a model curriculum, lesson plans, and instructional resources relating to a sepsis awareness and prevention program designed to promote awareness and prevention methods against sepsis to be made available at no cost for every school district. Such model curriculum, lesson plans and instructional resources shall include but not be limited to guidelines and methods of prevention, including recommendations for the reduction of exposure to sepsis and appropriate course of action for sepsis;
(ii) instructional tools and materials for schools and libraries developed in collaboration with the commissioner of health to ensure such tools and materials include updated data and information on sepsis
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09716-01-7
S. 4850 2
awareness and prevention, with a periodic review to ensure up-to-date information; and
(iii) providing that the department shall post on its internet website information relating to sepsis awareness and prevention, which shall include but not be limited to, the definition of "sepsis", risks associated with sepsis, signs and symptoms of sepsis, how sepsis may occur, and the methods of prevention of sepsis. Schools shall be required to include such information or reference how to obtain such information from the department's internet website on the school's internet website, if one exists.
b. The commissioner shall issue a guidance memorandum to every school district to inform them of the availability of sepsis awareness and prevention model curriculum, lesson plans and best practice instructional material and annually, in September, the commissioner shall remind districts of the availability of sepsis awareness and prevention materials as a part of sepsis awareness month.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law; provided, however, that effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date is authorized to be made completed on or before such effective date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to directing the commissioner of education to establish rules and regulations for a sepsis awareness and prevention program for school districts, boards of cooperative educational services and nonpublic schools
Purpose
This bill directs the Commissioner of Education to establish rules and regulations for a sepsis awareness and prevention program for schools.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 would establish Rory Staunton's Law.
Section 2 amends Education Law to require the Commissioner of Education to promulgate rules and regulations relating to an ongoing sepsis awareness, prevention and education program. The regulations must include a model curriculum, lesson plans and instructional resources that can be made available to every school district at no cost relating to sepsis awareness and prevention; up to date instructional tools and materials for schools and libraries developed in collaboration with the Commissioner of Health; and provide that the Department of Education post on its website information relating to sepsis awareness and prevention. In addition, the Commissioner of Education must issue a guidance memorandum to every school district to inform them of the availability of sepsis awareness and prevention materials and annually, in September, the Commissioner of Education must remind school districts of the availability of sepsis materials as part of sepsis awareness month.
Section 3 provides for the enactment date.
Justification
Sepsis is a potentially life-threatening complication of an infection that affects over 1 million Americans each year. In March 2012, Rory Staunton, a healthy 12-year old boy, died of sepsis after cutting his arm during gym class. His symptoms went unrecognized by all around him.
If sepsis is diagnosed early enough, it can be treated successfully. Raising awareness about prevention and symptoms of sepsis through education and outreach programs can help prevent another tragedy and save a child's life.
Prior legislative history
2016: S. 8061 Education/ A. 10023 Passed Assembly
Fiscal implications
Unknown.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law; provided, however, that effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date is authorized to be made completed on or before such effective date.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.