Teach Sepsis Prevention in Schools

Section 1. 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 consult and collaborate with the commissioner of health and organizations that promote sepsis awareness, prevention and education, as well as other interested parties, to establish and develop a sepsis awareness, prevention and education program within the department. Such program shall be defined by the commissioner in regulations after consultation with the department of health and be designed to educate students, parents and school personnel about sepsis awareness and prevention. Such program shall include, but not be limited to:

(i) age-appropriate model curriculum, exemplar lesson plans, and best practice instructional resources for students, parents and school personnel designed to promote awareness and prevention methods against sepsis. 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 an appropriate course of action for sepsis treatment;

(ii) instructional tools and materials for students, parents and school personnel developed in collaboration with the commissioner of

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD10229-04-7

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health, which shall include updated data and information on sepsis awareness and prevention, with a review of such data and information to occur periodically, at intervals deemed appropriate by the commissioner and the commissioner of health; and

(iii) public availability of all materials related to the sepsis awareness, prevention and education program on a dedicated webpage on the department's internet website, and provided at no cost to every school district, board of cooperative educational services, charter school and nonpublic school upon request.

b. The commissioner shall issue a guidance memorandum to every school district, board of cooperative educational services, charter school and nonpublic school, to inform them of the availability of the sepsis awareness, prevention and education program and to encourage them to develop policies and procedures, in consultation with their director of school health services, or the substantial equivalent as determined by the commissioner in regulations, regarding when parents and persons in parental relations are to be notified of illness or injuries occurring in school which affects their child, in accordance with article nineteen of this chapter. The commissioner shall annually remind school districts, boards of cooperative educational services, charter schools and nonpublic schools, of the availability of sepsis awareness and prevention materials as part of sepsis awareness month.

§ 3. Section 6505-b of the education law, as amended by chapter 477 of the laws of 2008, is amended to read as follows:

§ 6505-b. Course work or training in infection control practices. Every dentist, registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, podiatrist, optometrist and dental hygienist practicing in the state shall, on or before July first, nineteen hundred ninety-four and every four years thereafter, complete course work or training appropriate to the professional's practice approved by the department regarding infection control, which shall include sepsis, and barrier precautions, including engineering and work practice controls, in accordance with regulatory standards promulgated by the department, in consultation with the department of health, which shall be consistent, as far as appropriate, with such standards adopted by the department of health pursuant to section two hundred thirty-nine of the public health law to prevent the transmission of HIV, HBV [or], HCV and sepsis in the course of professional practice. Each such professional shall document to the department at the time of registration commencing with the first registration after July first, nineteen hundred ninety-four that the professional has completed course work or training in accordance with this section, provided, however that a professional subject to the provisions of paragraph (f) of subdivision one of section twenty-eight hundred five-k of the public health law shall not be required to so document. The department shall provide an exemption from this requirement to anyone who requests such an exemption and who (i) clearly demonstrates to the department's satisfaction that there would be no need for him or her to complete such course work or training because of the nature of his or her practice or (ii) that he or she has completed course work or training deemed by the department to be equivalent to the course work or training approved by the department pursuant to this section. The department shall consult with organizations representative of professions, institutions and those with expertise in infection control and HIV, HBV [and], HCV and sepsis with respect to the regulatory standards promulgated pursuant to this section.

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§ 4. Subdivision (a) of section 239 of the public health law, as amended by chapter 477 of the laws of 2008, is amended to read as follows:

(a) Every physician, physician assistant and specialist assistant practicing in the state shall, on or before July first, nineteen hundred ninety-four and every four years thereafter, complete course work or training, appropriate to the professional's practice, approved by the department regarding infection control, which shall include sepsis, and barrier precautions, including engineering and work practice controls, in accordance with regulatory standards promulgated by the department in consultation with the department of education, to prevent the transmission of HIV, HBV [or], HCV and sepsis in the course of professional practice. Such coursework or training must also be completed by every medical student, medical resident and physician assistant student in the state as part of the orientation programs conducted by medical schools, medical residency programs and physician assistant programs.

§ 5. Every dentist, registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, podiatrist, optometrist, dental hygienist, physician, physician assistant and special assistant practicing in the state who is required to complete course work or training that includes sepsis as required by section 6505-b of the education law or subdivision (a) of section 239 of the public health law shall first be required to complete such course work or training that includes such topics on or before July 1, 2022.

§ 6. 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 are authorized to be made or completed on or before such effective date.