Lawmakers Approve Bill To Aid Epileptic Students

SACRAMENTO (AP) -- The Legislature has approved a bill letting public schools train volunteers so they can administer medication to epileptic students immediately after a seizure.

Amendments made to SB161 by Republican Sen. Bob Huff of Diamond Bar passed the Senate 35-4 Thursday, sending the bill to the governor.

Under the legislation, school districts can train staff how to use the anti-seizure gel Diastat, which has to be administered rectally within five minutes of an epileptic seizure to prevent brain damage.

Opponents say the medication, which is released through a syringe, can be dangerous to the student and should be given only by a caregiver familiar with a child's seizure patterns.

Parents of children prone to seizures want an adult capable of administering the medication available in case a licensed caregiver is not.

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