Senate Bill 2687

AN ACT ENTITLED THE "DIABETES CARE FOR MISSISSIPPI STUDENTS ACT"; TO REQUIRE THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO DEVELOPMENT A TRAINING PROGRAM AND GUIDELINES FOR THE MANAGEMENT AND CARE OF CHILDREN WITH DIABETES IN A SCHOOL SETTING; TO REQUIRE THE PLAN TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE LEGISLATURE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. This act may be known and cited as the "Diabetes Care for Mississippi Students Act."

SECTION 2. Legislative findings and purpose. (1) The Legislature of the State of Mississippi finds that:

(a) Diabetes is a serious, chronic disease that impairs the body's ability to use food.

(b) Diabetes must be managed twenty-four (24) hours a day in order to avoid the potentially life-threatening short-term consequences of blood glucose levels that are either too high (hyperglycemia) or too low (hypoglycemia), and to avoid or delay the serious long-term complications of high blood glucose which include blindness, amputation, heart disease, and kidney failure.

(c) In order to manage their disease, students with diabetes must have access to the means to balance food, medications, and physical activity level while at school and at school-related activities.

(2) Based on the findings in subsection (1) of this section, the purposes of this act are to:

a. Allow students with diabetes who are able to perform their diabetes care tasks the ability to perform these in the school setting.

b. Recognize that not all students with diabetes are able to perform their own diabetes care tasks (because of age, inexperience, or other factors) and will need assistance from the school nurse or other school personnel who have completed training in diabetes care tasks.

SECTION 3. Definitions. For purposes of this act:

(a) "School" means any primary or secondary public, charter, or private school within the State of Mississippi.

(b) "School employee" means any person employed by a public school district or private school.

(c) "Diabetes Medical Management Plan" means a document developed by the student's treating health care provider that details the health services needed by the student at school and is signed by the student's personal health care team and parent or guardian.

SECTION 4. Development of plan for care at school for children with diabetes. It is the intent of the Legislature to have a system in place in Mississippi schools by the start of the school year in 2019 that will allow all children with diabetes to be cared for effectively in the school setting under an individual Diabetes Medical Management Plan. This will require diabetes training programs for school nurses and other school employees who volunteer for this function. The training program and guidelines shall be developed by the Board of Education and the Mississippi Department of Education in consultation with any appropriate persons, associations or agencies.

SECTION 5. Delivery of plan. A copy of the plan shall be delivered to the chairmen of the House and Senate Education Committees and the House and Senate Public Health Committees on or before December 1, 2018. In addition to the regulations to implement the intent of this act, the report shall include recommendations for any changes in state law that need to be implemented to effectuate the purposes and intent of this act and to provide liability protection for school personnel similar to existing law.

SECTION 6. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2018.