House Approves Bill to Improve Food Allergy Policies

May 5, 2018

I am so proud the House passed legislation that will protect children in mortal danger. Extreme food allergies are a growing threat, affecting millions of children and adults nationwide. Ensuring all children with life-threatening allergies can carry EpiPens - and that these can be used on school buses - will save lives.

This bill is the product of a lot of work by a lot of people. The legislation is the product of recommendations of the Task Force to Study Life-Threatening Food Allergies in Schools, and the work of advocates from around the state, including Fairfield parents Tricia Donovan and Jessica Curran, State Representative Brenda Kupchick, State Representative Laura Devlin and Rep. Andy Fleischmann.

The bill requires the state Department of Education (SDE) to revise guidelines for the management of students with life-threatening food allergies and glycogen storage disease and make these guidelines available to each local and regional board of education.