Colorado Governor Signs Food Allergy Bill
On May 14, in honor of National Food Allergy Awareness Week, Gov. Bill Ritter of Colorado signed into law a bill that will help teachers and parents better respond to students with severe food allergies. Senate Bill 226, sponsored by Sen. Paula Sandoval and Rep. Sara Gagliardi, will help schools provide quicker responses to incidents of anaphylaxis and other food allergy emergencies. Nicole Smith (www.AllergicChild.com), a member of FAI’s Advocacy Steering Committee, played a key role in advocating for the passage of this important legislation.
About 84 percent of Colorado schools enroll children with a known food allergy, and the numbers are increasing. "As the number of students with food allergies continues to grow, we must help teachers and parents create safe, responsive school environments," Gov. Ritter said. "This measure takes the appropriate steps to ensure every child feels safe."
Senate Bill 226 establishes the "Colorado School Children's Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Policy Act." The act requires the Colorado Department of Education and Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to work together to develop a statewide policy for the management of food allergies among public school students by January 1, 2010. School districts will be required to:
- Notify parents annually about their policy regarding student food allergies;
- Encourage parents to give schools detailed information about their child's allergies;
- Create strategies to reduce a student's risk of exposure to allergens;
- Identify staff that should be trained in responding to an allergic reaction; and
- Ensure staff will be able to access medicine should a child suffer anaphylaxis.