Georgia CommonsHouse · Introduced · 2025-2026 Regular Session
HB 1056: Education; replace term auto-injectable epinephrine with epinephrine and consolidate provisions relating to epinephrine and schools
Last action March 6, 2026 · House Committee Favorably Reported
A Georgia House bill would rewrite the state's school epinephrine laws, replacing the term 'auto-injectable epinephrine' with the broader term 'epinephrine' and combining several scattered school policy sections into one updated law.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Introduced version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
Georgia law currently uses the term 'auto-injectable epinephrine' to describe emergency allergy medication that schools and students can carry, store, and administer. This term is tied to a specific delivery device, but newer forms of epinephrine, like nasal sprays, do not fit that description. This bill replaces 'auto-injectable epinephrine' with the broader term 'epinephrine' throughout the relevant Georgia Code sections covering schools, pharmacists, and authorized entities. The bill repeals the old student self-administration law (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-776) and replaces it with a new, consolidated version covering student self-administration, school storage, staff training, stocking supplies, liability protections, and vendor arrangements. It also repeals two related sections (20-2-776.1 and 20-2-776.2) since their content is folded into the new section, and updates the pharmacist prescribing law (O.C.G.A. § 26-4-116.1) and the authorized entities law (O.C.G.A. § 31-1-15) to match. The State Board of Education must adopt implementing regulations by July 1, 2026.
What the bill does
- Repeals the existing student self-administration law (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-776) and replaces it with a consolidated version covering self-administration, school storage, staff response, and stocking supplies.
- Replaces the term 'auto-injectable epinephrine' with 'epinephrine' throughout the school, pharmacy, and authorized entity statutes so the law covers any FDA-approved epinephrine delivery method, not just injectors.
- Repeals two now-redundant Code sections (20-2-776.1 on staff administration and 20-2-776.2 on stock supplies) since their substance is merged into the new consolidated section.
- Updates the pharmacist prescribing law (O.C.G.A. § 26-4-116.1) to reference the new consolidated school section and to use the broader 'epinephrine' term.
- Revises the definition of epinephrine in the authorized entities law (O.C.G.A. § 31-1-15) to describe a premeasured dose delivery system rather than an 'auto-injectable' device.
- Requires the State Board of Education, working with the Department of Public Health, to adopt implementing regulations by July 1, 2026.
Who it affects
Public and private school students with severe allergies, their parents and guardians, school nurses and staff who store or administer epinephrine, licensed practitioners who write prescriptions, pharmacists who fill them, and school governing bodies that must adopt related policies.
Why it matters
By broadening the legal term from 'auto-injectable epinephrine' to just 'epinephrine,' schools and staff could legally stock, prescribe, and administer newer epinephrine products like nasal sprays, not just injector devices, potentially giving schools more options for treating severe allergic reactions.
Key provisions
- Section 1 repeals and replaces O.C.G.A. § 20-2-776, consolidating rules for student self-administration, school storage, staff training, stocking, liability immunity, and vendor arrangements into one section.
- Section 1 requires parental consent and a licensed practitioner's written statement, renewed at least annually, before a student can carry and self-administer epinephrine.
- Section 1 grants civil liability immunity to school employees and licensed practitioners who administer epinephrine in good faith, except in cases of willful or wanton misconduct.
- Section 1 sets a July 1, 2026 deadline for the State Board of Education, in consultation with the Department of Public Health, to adopt implementing regulations.
- Sections 2 and 3 repeal Code Sections 20-2-776.1 and 20-2-776.2, which previously covered staff administration and stock supplies separately.
- Section 4 revises O.C.G.A. § 26-4-116.1 to remove 'auto-injectable' from prescribing authority language and update its cross-reference to the new consolidated section.
- Section 5 amends O.C.G.A. § 31-1-15 to replace 'auto-injectable epinephrine' with 'epinephrine' and rewrites the definition to focus on a premeasured dose delivery system approved by the FDA.
From the bill
“'Epinephrine' means a drug delivery system that contains a premeasured single dose of epinephrine used to treat life-threatening allergic reactions and has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration.”
“A public or private school in this state may acquire and stock a supply of epinephrine pursuant to a prescription issued in accordance with Code Section 26-4-116.1.”
“Any employee or agent of a public or private school who in good faith administers or chooses not to administer epinephrine to a student pursuant to this Code section shall be immune from civil liability”
Discussed in meetings (5)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
House Education Committee, March 5, 2026
From 0:27:16 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 1056 would broaden school epinephrine rules beyond auto-injectors to allow an inhaled option and future delivery methods. The sponsor said students could carry prescribed medication with annual medical documentation and parental consent, including at school events. The sponsor also described protection from liability for trained staff administering it and an option for schools to stock it. One committee member, describing a child's severe allergies, said the inhaled medication had reduced the family's costs and risk and reported that doctors described longer shelf life and greater effectiveness. Other members expressed support based on family experiences. A member asked whether the wording actually covered inhalers. The sponsor and others explaining the text pointed to removal of the auto-injectable restriction and said the broader wording covered inhalers and future technology. The committee approved a do-pass motion by voice vote, with no opposition heard.
House Rules Committee, March 6, 2026
From 0:48:09 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 1056 would expand school rules beyond epinephrine auto-injectors to allow other delivery methods, including inhalers and pills as technology becomes available. The sponsor said students would need a doctor's note and parental permission, and trained staff could administer the medicine. The sponsor described the proposal as a school safety measure. No decision was recorded.
Status timeline
- House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Rick Townsend (R, HD-179)
- Chris Erwin (R, HD-32)
- Lydia Glaize (D, HD-67)
- Sandy Donatucci (R, HD-105)
- Ron Stephens (R, HD-164)
- Lynn Smith (R, HD-70)
Topics
- school health policy
- epinephrine and allergies
- student medication
- school liability
- public health law