Section 16-1-48 Anaphylaxis Preparedness Program. (Amended by Act 2026-561)
580 words·~3 min read·
/al/title-16-education/chapter-1-general-provisions/16-1-48·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
AMENDED BY ACT 2026-561, EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2026. SEE ACT FOR REVISED LANGUAGE.
(a)The State Department of Education shall develop an anaphylaxis preparedness program to be adopted by each local board of education and implemented in each K-12 public school commencing with the 2015-2016 scholastic year. The Alabama State Board of Pharmacy shall provide guidance, direction, and advice to the State Department of Education in developing and administering the anaphylaxis preparedness program.
(b)The anaphylaxis preparedness program shall incorporate the following three levels of prevention initiated by licensed public school nurses as a part of the health services program:
(1)Level I, primary prevention: Education programs that address food allergies and anaphylaxis through both classroom and individual instruction for staff and students.
(2)Level II, secondary prevention: Identification and management of chronic illness.
(3)Level III, tertiary prevention: The development of a planned response to anaphylaxis-related emergencies in the school setting.
(c)Each local board of education may collaborate with a physician to develop and maintain a protocol for emergency response that shall include a supply of premeasured, single dose autoinjectable epinephrine on each public school campus to treat potentially life threatening allergic reactions. Single dose autoinjectable epinephrine consists of a single use device used for automatic injection of a premeasured dose of epinephrine into the human body or another epinephrine system approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration for public use. Single dose autoinjectable epinephrine may be self-administered at school by a student pursuant to Section 16-1-39 or may be administered or provided to school children by the school nurse, or unlicensed school personnel who have completed an anaphylaxis training program conducted by a nationally recognized organization experienced in training laypersons in emergency health treatment or other medication administration program approved by the State Department of Education and State Board of Nursing. Training may be conducted online or in person and, at a minimum, shall cover each of the following:
(1)Techniques on how to recognize symptoms of severe allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis.
(2)Standards and procedures for the storage and administration of single dose autoinjectable epinephrine.
(3)Emergency follow-up procedures.
(d)A school that possesses and makes available single dose autoinjectable epinephrine and its employees, agents, and other trained personnel, and any person who conducts the training described in subsection (c), shall be immune from suit and not liable for any civil damages resulting from any acts or omissions in the supervision or rendering of services, care, or assistance to a student under this section, nor for any civil damages resulting from any act, or failure to act, to provide or arrange for further treatment, care, or assistance. No information or protocols produced related to this section shall be construed to establish a standard of care for physicians or otherwise modify, amend, or supersede any provision of the Alabama Medical Liability Act of 1996, commencing with Section 6-5-540, or any amendment thereto, or any judicial interpretation thereof. Any provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, a physician who is consulted or participates in regard to anaphylaxis-related emergencies, or develops, maintains, or is otherwise associated with, a protocol under this section, or takes any other action associated with, or related to, this section, is immune from all civil and criminal liability for any such acts.
(e)The requirement that a supply of premeasured, single dose autoinjectable epinephrine be secured and maintained on each public school campus shall only be enforced if funding is provided by the state.