Lawmakers Look to Aid Students with Epilepsy

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A measure that seeks to create individualized plans to care for students who have epilepsy or seizure disorders continued to sail through the Florida House on Wednesday.

Under the bill (HB 173), approved unanimously by the House Secondary Education & Career Development Subcommittee, schools would be required to create “individualized seizure action” plans at the request of parents that would provide guidelines for caring for students with epilepsy.

The plans would be required to include written orders from students’ doctors “outlining the student’s epilepsy or seizure disorder recommended care.” It also would have to describe the symptoms of the students’ seizures and any accommodations the students might need for things like school trips, after-school activities and class parties. Information about how to maintain communication with students, parents, doctors and school staff would be included in the plans, as well as information about medication students need and how to administer it.

Schools also would be required to provide notices about students’ conditions and information to school employees who have regular contact with the students. House sponsor Nicholas Duran, D-Miami, touted part of the bill that would require such school employees to take a training course on how to recognize the symptoms of epilepsy and seizure disorders.

“This is really just to empower those school personnel to understand what’s happening in front of them and which of those students in front of them may have epilepsy,” Duran said.

Rep. Felicia Simone Robinson, a Miami Gardens Democrat who is an educator, said the bill would help school employees better understand students’ conditions. “I have actually experienced students in front of me that have had a seizure. And the main thing about this bill that is really important is that it’s individualized. Because it is really important to know what the characteristics are when they go into their seizure. How long it is, everything like that,” Robinson said.

The bill needs approval from the House Education & Employment Committee before it could be considered by the full House. A similar Senate bill (SB 340) also received unanimous support in its first committee and needs approval from two more committees before it could go to the Senate floor.