BILL NUMBER: S8534

SPONSOR: SERINO
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the education law, in relation to
rules and regulations concerning removal of ticks from pupils

 
PURPOSE:

To promulgate and review rules and regulations related to pupils who
have a tick removed from them during school or a school sponsored activ-
ity.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Directs the Commissioner of Education, in conjunction with
the Commissioner of Health, to promulgate and review rules and regu-
lations related to pupils who have a tick removed from them during
school or a school sponsored activity. Such regulations shall include
tick removal guidelines, procedures for written notification to a parent
or guardian after removing a tick and the development of informational
materials for school districts and parents. Such rules and regulations
              

shall be deemed to be the minimum standards for public schools and may
be implemented by nonpublic schools if they so authorize.

Section 2: Provides the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Lyme and tick-borne diseases (TBDs) continue to spread across the state
at an alarming rate, and often impact children the most as they play and
explore outside. While these diseases have devastating impacts to all of
those infected, they can present serious and even life-threatening symp-
toms in children. As such, it is important that our schools and educa-
tors are equipped with the knowledge and guidance to handle tick
infections in students as they are often the first line of recognition
and identification of health care concerns besides parents.

This legislation will require the Commissioner of Health to issue guid-
ance for educators, particularly school nurses, regarding the removal of
ticks from students and notification of parents. Because timely iden-
tification of a tick bite, and immediate medical treatment, can be
significant in the development of Lyme and TBDs, this legislation
provides a vital step in the timeline of treating these infections in
children. For example, the safe removal of ticks is incredibly important
for the prevention of spreading Lyme, as the chances of contracting the
disease are reduced if the tick is attached to the skin for less than 24
hours.

Moreover, this legislation will provide for informational materials to
be made available to parents so they are aware of the symptoms of TBDs,
especially since they are commonly misdiagnosed and many erroneously
believe that a bull's-eye rash need be present to indicate the
contraction of Lyme. By providing parents or guardians with a notifica-
tion that a tick was removed from their child, along with information
regarding Lyme and other TBDs, parents can be on the lookout for signs
and symptoms.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately on the one hundred twentieth day
after it shall have become law.