HB6065eng 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB6065 Engrossed LRB096 20790 MJR 36544 b

AN ACT concerning education.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Care of Students with Diabetes Act.

Section 5. Legislative findings. The General Assembly finds the following:

(1) Diabetes is a serious chronic disease in which the pancreas does not make insulin (Type 1) or the body cannot use insulin properly (Type 2).

(2) Diabetes must be managed 24 hours a day to avoid the potentially life-threatening, short-term consequences of low blood sugar and prevent or delay the serious complications caused by blood sugar levels that are too high for too long, such as atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, hypertension, blindness, kidney failure, amputation, and stroke.

(3) Federal law affords people with diabetes specific rights and protections. These laws include Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008.

(4) When these federal laws are not implemented or enforced consistently in school, students with diabetes are discriminated against, their educational opportunities are compromised, and their health and safety is jeopardized.

(5) A school nurse is the most appropriate person in a school setting to provide for all students' healthcare needs; however, a school nurse may not be available when needed, and many schools do not have a full-time nurse.

(6) Many students are capable of checking their blood glucose levels, calculating a carbohydrate-to-insulin ratio, and administering insulin independently. Allowing capable students to manage diabetes independently in school is consistent with the recommendations of pediatric endocrinologists and certified diabetes educators and other specialists.

(7) Because appropriate and consistent diabetes care decreases the risks of serious short-term and long-term complications, increases a student's learning opportunities, and promotes individual and public health benefits, the General Assembly deems it in the public interest to enact this Act.

Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:

"Delegated care aide" means a school employee who has agreed to receive training in diabetes care and to assist students in implementing their diabetes care plan and has entered into an agreement with a parent or guardian and the school district or private school.

"Diabetes care plan" means a document that specifies the diabetes-related services needed by a student at school and at school-sponsored activities and identifies the appropriate staff to provide and supervise these services.

"Health care provider" means a physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches, advanced practice nurse who has a written agreement with a collaborating physician, or a physician assistant who has been delegated a duty by his or her supervising physician.

"Principal" means the senior administrative school employee.

"School" means any primary or secondary public, charter, or private school located in this State.

"School employee" means a person who is employed by a public school district or private school, a person who is employed by a local health department and assigned to a school, or a person who contracts with a school or school district to perform services in connection with a student's diabetes care plan.

Section 15. Diabetes care plan.

(a) A diabetes care plan shall be signed by a student's parent or guardian and submitted to the school for any student with diabetes who seeks assistance with diabetes care in the school setting, unless the student has been managing his or her diabetes care in the school setting before the effective date of this Act, in which case the student's parent or guardian may sign and submit a diabetes care plan under this Act. The diabetes care plan shall include the treating doctor or nurse practitioner's instructions concerning the student's diabetes management during the school day, including requirements for diet, glucose testing, insulin administration, and treatment for hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, and emergency situations.

(b) The services and accommodations specified in a diabetes care plan shall be reasonable, reflect the current standard of diabetes care, and include appropriate safeguards to ensure that syringes and lancets are disposed of properly.

(c) A diabetes care plan shall include a uniform record of glucometer readings and insulin administered by the school nurse or delegated care aide during the school day and shall use the form contained in "Helping Students with Diabetes Succeed at School", a reference and care guide published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

(d) A diabetes care plan shall be submitted to the school at the beginning of the school year; upon enrollment, as soon as practical following a student's diagnosis; or when a student's care needs change during the school year. Parents shall be responsible for informing the school in a timely manner of any changes to the diabetes care plan and their emergency contact numbers.

Section 20. Delegated care aides.

(a) Delegated care aides shall perform the activities and tasks necessary to assist a student with diabetes in accordance with his or her diabetes care plan and in compliance with any guidelines provided during training under Section 25 of this Act.

(b) Whenever a delegated care aide has a question about a student's care, or when an unexpected snack or meal requires a dose of insulin not anticipated by a student's diabetes care plan, the delegated care aide shall consult with the parent or guardian, school nurse, where available, or health care provider to confirm that the insulin dosage is appropriate given the number of carbohydrates to be taken and the student's blood glucose level as determined by a glucometer reading.

(c) The principal shall facilitate compliance with the provisions of a diabetes care plan during all school-sponsored activities.

(d) Delegated care aides are authorized to provide assistance by a student's parents or guardian and the school district or private school.

Section 25. Training for school employees and delegated care aides.

(a) In schools that have a student with diabetes, all school employees shall receive training in the basics of diabetes care, how to identify when a student with diabetes needs immediate or emergency medical attention, and whom to contact in the case of an emergency during a regular in-service training as provided for by Section 10-22.39 of the School Code.

(b) Delegated care aides shall be trained to perform the tasks necessary to assist a student with diabetes in accordance with his or her diabetes care plan, including training to do the following:

(1) check blood glucose and record results;

(2) recognize and respond to the symptoms of hypoglycemia according to the diabetes care plan;

(3) recognize and respond to the symptoms of hyperglycemia according to the diabetes care plan;

(4) estimate the number of carbohydrates in a snack or lunch;

(5) administer insulin according to the student's diabetes care plan and keep a record of the amount administered; and

(6) respond in an emergency, including how to administer glucagon.

(c) The school district shall coordinate staff training.

(d) Initial training shall be provided by a licensed healthcare provider with expertise in diabetes or a certified diabetic educator and individualized by a student's parent or guardian. The training shall be updated when the diabetes care plan is changed and at least annually.

(e) School nurses, where available, or health care providers may provide technical assistance or consultation or both to delegated care aides.

(f) An information sheet shall be provided to any school employee who transports a student for school-sponsored activities. It shall identify the student with diabetes, identify potential emergencies that may occur as a result of the student's diabetes and the appropriate responses to such emergencies, and provide emergency contact information.

Section 30. Self-management. In accordance with his or her diabetes care plan, a student shall be permitted to do the following:

(1) check blood glucose when and wherever needed;

(2) administer insulin with the insulin delivery system used by the student;

(3) treat hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia and otherwise attend to the care and management of his or her diabetes in the classroom, in any area of the school or school grounds and at any school-related activity or event in accordance with the diabetes care plan; and

(4) possess on his or her person, at all times, the supplies and equipment necessary to monitor and treat diabetes, including, but not limited to, glucometers, lancets, test strips, insulin, syringes, insulin pens and needle tips, insulin pumps, infusion sets, alcohol swabs, a glucagon injection kit, glucose tablets, and food and drink, in accordance with the diabetes care plan.

Section 35. Restricting access to school prohibited. A school district shall not restrict the assignment of a student with diabetes to a particular school on the basis that the school does not have a full-time school nurse, nor shall a school deny a student access to any school or school-related activities on the basis that a student has diabetes.

Section 40. Protections against retaliation. A school employee shall not be subject to any penalty, sanction, reprimand, discharge, demotion, denial of a promotion, withdrawal of benefits, or other disciplinary action for choosing not to agree to serve as a delegated care aide.

Section 45. Civil immunity.

(a) A school or a school employee is not liable for civil or other damages as a result of conduct, other than willful or wanton misconduct, related to the care of a student with diabetes.

(b) A school employee shall not be subject to any disciplinary proceeding resulting from an action taken in compliance with this Act, unless the action constitutes willful or wanton misconduct.

Section 50. Federal law. Nothing in this Act shall limit any rights available under federal law.

Section 90. The School Code is amended by changing Section 10-22.21b as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/10-22.21b) (from Ch. 122, par. 10-22.21b)

Sec. 10-22.21b. Administering medication. To provide for the administration of medication to students. It shall be the policy of the State of Illinois that the administration of medication to students during regular school hours and during school-related activities should be discouraged unless absolutely necessary for the critical health and well-being of the student. Under no circumstances shall teachers or other non-administrative school employees, except certified school nurses, and non-certificated registered professional nurses, and advanced practice nurses, be required to administer medication to students. This Section shall not prohibit a school district from adopting guidelines for self-administration of medication by students. This Section shall not prohibit any school employee from providing emergency assistance to students.

(Source: P.A. 91-719, eff. 6-2-00.)

Section 95. The State Mandates Act is amended by adding Section 8.34 as follows:

(30 ILCS 805/8.34 new)

Sec. 8.34. Exempt mandate. Notwithstanding Sections 6 and 8 of this Act, no reimbursement by the State is required for the implementation of any mandate created by this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.