Three bills related to health and wellbeing of students and staff members in schools were signed by Gov. Dennis Daugaard recently.

 

The ASBSD supported, House Bill 1181, which allows for the requirement of a certification of health from an employee of a school at the request of the district’s Superintendent, was signed. The bill returned the certificate of health clause that was struck during a statute review in 2012.

 

ASBSD Lobbyist Dick Tieszen said the bill is “helpful to both the rest of the school, as well as the employee.”

 

The certificate of health would verify a physical or mental condition, or lack thereof, that could hinder a school employee from performing their work tasks.

 

House Bill 1167, which allows schools to keep and administer epinephrine auto-injectors in certain cases, was also signed. ASBSD took a monitor position on the bill.

 

Sen. Jean Hunhoff said the auto-injectors are used in a “crisis situation.” Susan Keltz, a school nurse, testified that without epinephrine readily available an anaphylactic (allergic reaction) can be deadly.

 

“With this bill, lives will be saved,” Keltz said.

 

Finally, Senate Bill 145, which identifies CPR as a recommended skill that all schools should include within school health curriculum, recommends use of nationally recognized program for instruction and survey’s school districts about CPR instruction, received, received the Governor’s approval.

 

Initially the bill sought to have CPR counted as a graduation requirement, but opposing sides came to a compromise.

 

“Our goal…is to get young people exposed to (CPR training),” AHA Lobbyist Dean Krogman said about the bill.

 

ASBSD took a monitor position on the bill.

 

These bills and more will be reviewed as part of ASBSD’s Legislative Summary, which is scheduled for release following “Veto Day” on Monday, March 31.