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HB 3020

AN ACT relating to statewide standing orders prescribing epinephrine

House Bill
Filed

Filed

Bill introduced by legislator

Committee

Hearing

Passed Cmte

Calendar

Passed

Sent

Enrolled

Governor

Signed

89th Regular Session

Jan 14, 2025 - Jun 2, 2025 • Session ended

Awaiting Committee Assignment

Bill filed, pending referral to House committee

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Committee

Not yet assigned

Fiscal Note

Not available

What This Bill Does

Allows the Texas Department of State Health Services to issue statewide standing orders for schools to obtain and administer epinephrine auto-injectors, respiratory distress medication, and opioid antagonists without requiring a patient-specific prescription. These standing orders enable school districts, charter schools, and private schools to have these critical medications on hand to respond quickly to potential life-threatening emergencies like severe allergic reactions, respiratory issues, or opioid overdoses. The orders permit medication administration without a pre-existing physician-patient relationship, which can help save lives in urgent medical situations.

Subject Areas

Bill Text

relating to statewide standing orders prescribing epinephrine
auto-injectors, medication for respiratory distress, and opioid
antagonists to public and private schools.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1.  Section 38.211, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (b-1) and amending Subsection (c) to read as
(b-1)  The commissioner of state health services or, if the
commissioner is not a physician, the chief medical executive of the
Department of State Health Services shall issue statewide standing
orders prescribing epinephrine auto-injectors and medication for
respiratory distress to a school district, open-enrollment charter
(c)  The standing order under Subsection (b) or (b-1) is not
required to be patient-specific, and the epinephrine auto-injector
or medication for respiratory distress may be administered to a
person without a previously established physician-patient
SECTION 2.  Section 38.225, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (b-1) and amending Subsection (c) to read as
(b-1)  The commissioner of state health services or, if the
commissioner is not a physician, the chief medical executive of the
Department of State Health Services shall issue a statewide
standing order prescribing opioid antagonists to a school district,
open-enrollment charter school, or private school.
(c)  The standing order under Subsection (b) or (b-1) is not
required to be patient-specific, and the opioid antagonist may be
administered to a person without a previously established
physician-patient relationship.
SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

Bill History

filed

Bill filed: AN ACT relating to statewide standing orders prescribing epinephrine