Entry written by Irene Roarke
The meeting "September Legislative Kick Off" started with a welcome by our new president Gius Pagnotta. Members were reminded to send their membership dues to Susan Gillick. Gius Acknowledged Karen Farrell for her many years of service on the Executive board. School nursing students were welcomed to the meeting from Monmouth University and NJCSU. Laura Jannone reminded members to do Every Student Counts -link so that all districts are represented. Sixty Members were present.
Eileen Gavin and Gail Hall presented the Legislative kick off.
Eileen Gavin is a school nurse in the Middletown school district. She has been on the legislative committee for the county for the past 4 years or so. She is a Family Nurse Practitioner and is in her 3rd year as Co-Chair of the NJSSNA Board.
Gail Hall is a school nurse at Colts Neck High School and is the past president of the MCSNA for the last 2 years. She is a new member of the legislative committee,
Eileen emphasized the importance of having school nurses' voices heard when it comes to legislation affecting our practice. Nurses need to be heard.
Some of the laws that were presented included:
Pending legislation which should pass:
We were also reminded that Tabitha's law has been in effect for a number of years that requires reporting a child being absent from school by the parent and following up call to the parent, if the parent doesn't report to ensure the safety of the child, which is to be followed by all schools in NJ.
Here is the link to Eileen & Gail's presentation - click here
The next meeting will be November 16th with Dr, Christina Jahns-Covid update
The meeting "September Legislative Kick Off" started with a welcome by our new president Gius Pagnotta. Members were reminded to send their membership dues to Susan Gillick. Gius Acknowledged Karen Farrell for her many years of service on the Executive board. School nursing students were welcomed to the meeting from Monmouth University and NJCSU. Laura Jannone reminded members to do Every Student Counts -link so that all districts are represented. Sixty Members were present.
Eileen Gavin and Gail Hall presented the Legislative kick off.
Eileen Gavin is a school nurse in the Middletown school district. She has been on the legislative committee for the county for the past 4 years or so. She is a Family Nurse Practitioner and is in her 3rd year as Co-Chair of the NJSSNA Board.
Gail Hall is a school nurse at Colts Neck High School and is the past president of the MCSNA for the last 2 years. She is a new member of the legislative committee,
Eileen emphasized the importance of having school nurses' voices heard when it comes to legislation affecting our practice. Nurses need to be heard.
Some of the laws that were presented included:
- P.L.2019,C.290 29-Paul's Law which allows parents to have an IHP Seizure Plan and IECP updated annually. The Epilepsy Services of NJ has the acronym TRUST . A release is necessary to share information with parent and staff. T-turn on side R-remove objects U-use something soft under head S-stay calm and stay with student T-time seizure
- P.L.2020, C 29-Prohibits stigmatizing students- The law deals with nonpayment of lunch bills, that students cannot be served a lesser meal for nonpayment.
- P.L.2020,C.63 This is the law that allowed the delay of sport physicals for Fall athletes.
- 9/14/202 the law was passed to appoint a State School Nurse Consultant in the DOE to facilitate best practices in school nursing by advancing comprehensive school health services.
Pending legislation which should pass:
- Centralized purchasing for PPE A4461AC9/S2698
- S559/A3277 for absence
- A4529-Covid-19 test for staff and volunteers the week before school starts.
We were also reminded that Tabitha's law has been in effect for a number of years that requires reporting a child being absent from school by the parent and following up call to the parent, if the parent doesn't report to ensure the safety of the child, which is to be followed by all schools in NJ.
Here is the link to Eileen & Gail's presentation - click here
The next meeting will be November 16th with Dr, Christina Jahns-Covid update