Pupil health: epinephrine delivery systems: schoolsites and childcare programs.

Senator Niello's legislation modernizes California's approach to managing anaphylactic emergencies in schools by replacing traditional auto-injectors with broader epinephrine delivery systems and expanding access across educational settings. The bill requires local educational agencies to maintain these systems at all school sites and affiliated childcare programs, while establishing comprehensive protocols for their storage, administration, and oversight.

The measure extends authorization to administer epinephrine beyond school nurses to include trained childcare program staff and other qualified personnel. These individuals must complete standardized training covering symptom recognition, proper administration techniques, and emergency response procedures. The training requirements, developed in consultation with medical experts and updated every five years, align with federal guidelines for food allergy management in educational settings.

Local educational agencies must obtain physician-authorized prescriptions specifying appropriate doses for their student populations, maintain detailed acquisition and disposal records, and ensure systems are restocked within two weeks of use. The bill preserves existing liability protections for authorized medical professionals while requiring agencies to defend and indemnify volunteer staff who administer epinephrine. Students may continue to self-administer with proper medical documentation and parental consent, though misuse remains subject to disciplinary action under education code provisions.