Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation Friday that’s designed to protect schoolchildren from serious and sometimes fatal anaphylactic allergic attacks.

SB 738 is follow-up legislation to SB 1266 by state Sen. Bob Huff, R-San Dimas. That bill required public schools to stock epinephrine auto injectors on campus so critically important medicine can be administered quickly and safely if a student suffers from a serious anaphylactic allergy reaction during school hours.

Recent data from the California School Nurses Organization shows that many schools who are trying to implement SB 1266 have not been able to comply with the safety guidelines because they have been unable to obtain the necessary prescription from physicians, who cite liability concerns.

“SB 738 will provide our physicians with the liability protection necessary and I’m pleased that the governor also saw the need for this bill and quickly signed it into law,” said Huff. “My office has received multiple reports now that this change in state law has benefitted students who were unaware that they were susceptible to potentially fatal allergic reactions. This policy is important and is working.”

SB 738 will provide limited liability protection for prescribing physicians writing standing order prescriptions in order to comply with SB 1266 and is similar to current law as it relates to liability for AEDs and opioid antagonists.

“We are thrilled and deeply indebted to Senator Huff, his staff and their commitment to the safety of our states students,” said Travis Miller, MD and President of the California Society of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology President (sponsor of SB 738). “We hope this bipartisan agreement and swift support of the governor now closes the loop on SB1266 to increasing the safety of students with severe allergies on our states primary campuses, creating a network of education, awareness and training.

“Other states that require schools to stock life-saving epinephrine on campus also offer similar liability protections to physicians,” Huff said. “California physicians will now have the peace of mind they need to ensure that our children have access to the medications they need.”