A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to provide training to students and school personnel on recognizing and responding when a person is experiencing a seizure.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  This act shall be known as the "Seizure Safe Schools Act of 2023" or "Sam's Law" and may be cited by those names.
SECTION 2.  Article 25A of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 115C‑375.7.  Seizure preparedness.
(a)	Seizure Action Plan. – A written, individualized health plan developed between a school unit and the parent of a student enrolled in the unit who is diagnosed with a seizure disorder. The Plan identifies the health care needs of the student and prepares school personnel to meet those needs. The school unit shall keep each Seizure Action Plan on file in the office of a school administrator or school nurse employed by the unit and make the Plan available to any school personnel and, with the permission of the student's parent, any volunteer responsible for the supervision of the student. Each plan is valid for one school year.
(b)	Seizure Action Plan Components. – The parent of a student diagnosed with a seizure disorder may petition the student's school unit for the development of a Seizure Action Plan. The parent and school unit shall develop the Plan in accordance with the procedures developed by the governing body of the school unit. At a minimum, the Plan shall include the following components:
(1)	A written statement from the student's health care provider with all of the following information:
a.	The student's name.
b.	Any seizure medication prescribed to the student.
c.	The dosage and method of administering the seizure medication.
d.	The frequency of administration of the seizure medication.
e.	The symptoms necessitating administration of the seizure medication.
(2)	A written statement from the parent indicating whether school personnel or volunteers are permitted to administer seizure medication to the student. This permission shall be renewed in each subsequent school year the student attends a school in the school unit.
(3)	If school personnel or volunteers who meet the training requirements of this section are authorized by the parent to administer seizure medication to a student, the parent shall provide the school with at least one unopened dosage of the medication with an intact pharmaceutical label. The school shall store the medication in a safe and secure location accessible only by school personnel or volunteers with training to administer seizure medication in accordance with subsection (c) of this section.
(c)	Employee Administration of Seizure Medication. – Each school unit shall ensure that at least one employee in each school in the unit is trained to administer or assist with the self‑administration of any seizure medication provided to the school pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. The governing body of each school unit shall adopt minimum training requirements for these employees, which shall be consistent with training guidelines established by the Epilepsy Foundation of America, Inc., or its successor. Any volunteer that supervises students with seizure disorders may volunteer to attend the same training.
(d)	Seizure Education Program. – The governing body of each public school unit shall adopt a policy outlining the requirements of a seizure education program for all school personnel having direct contact with students in grades kindergarten through 12. The seizure education program shall be administered on an annual basis in each public school unit and, at a minimum, shall provide education on the following topics:
(1)	Instructions for administering seizure medications.
(2)	Signs and symptoms of seizures and the appropriate steps to be taken to respond to symptoms of a seizure.
(3)	Any other guidelines established by the Epilepsy Foundation of America, Inc., or its successor.
(e)	Self‑Study Requirement. – The governing body of each school unit shall adopt a policy requiring all principals, guidance counselors, and teachers in the unit to complete at least one hour of self‑study review of seizure disorder materials each school year. The governing body of the unit shall select the materials for study in accordance with current practices and standards.
(f)	Informational Poster. – The governing body of each school unit shall ensure that an informational display on seizure first aid is posted in at least one visible, high‑traffic area in each school in the unit."
SECTION 3.(a)  G.S. 115C‑12 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:
"(49)	Duty regarding seizures. – The State Board of Education shall adopt rules regarding seizures in accordance with G.S. 115C‑375.7 for all schools operated under the control of the Board."
SECTION 3.(b)  G.S. 115C‑47 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:
"(68)	Duty regarding seizures. – Each local board of education shall adopt a policy regarding seizures in accordance with G.S. 115C‑375.7."
SECTION 3.(c)  G.S. 115C‑218.75 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(k)	Seizure Policy. – A charter school shall adopt a policy regarding seizures in accordance with G.S. 115C‑375.7."
SECTION 3.(d)  G.S. 115C‑238.66 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:
"(19)	Seizure policy. – A regional school shall adopt a policy regarding seizures in accordance with G.S. 115C‑375.7."
SECTION 3.(e)  G.S. 116‑11 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:
"(12f)	The Board of Governors shall adopt a policy regarding seizures in accordance with G.S. 115C‑375.7 for all school units, as defined in that section, operated under the control of the Board of Governors."
SECTION 4.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction the sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) in nonrecurring funds to assist the State Board of Education with the development of its seizure policy and with other costs associated with the implementation of this act. The State Board of Education may share any materials or rule language it develops pursuant to Section 3(a) of this act with the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina and the Division of Nonpublic Schools to facilitate the development of other seizure policies that are consistent with this act.
SECTION 5.  This act is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning with the 2024‑2025 school year.