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HD 5401

An Act relative to health and sanitation in schools

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Rich Haggerty

Requires schools to install sanitization stands with hand sanitizer and signs to promote hand hygiene and sets occupancy-based counts for placement.

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Bill Summary · HD 5401

Summary of HD 5401: An Act relative to health and sanitation in schools

Overview

  • Bill number: HD 5401
  • Title: An Act relative to health and sanitation in schools
  • Introduced: December 5–6, 2025 (Filed December 5, 2025; presented in the 2025-2026 General Court)
  • Status: Proposed bill (not enacted at this time)
  • Jurisdiction: Commonwealth of Massachusetts; amends Chapter 71 of the General Laws

Core purpose

The bill aims to strengthen health and sanitation measures in K–12 settings by mandating sanitation infrastructure in schools and establishing policies to limit the spread of contagious illnesses within school premises.

Key provisions

Section 102 — Sanitation stands and hand hygiene

  • Applies to all public, private, and charter schools in the Commonwealth serving prekindergarten through 12th grade.
  • Requires the placement of portable post stands with attached non-touch hand sanitizer dispensers in places where food is served or consumed.
  • Dispensers must:
    • Be approved by the Commissioner of Public Health under Chapter 111, Section 2.
    • Include an attached 2-sided sign reading: “PLEASE USE TO CLEANSE HANDS BEFORE EATING.”
    • Be placed conspicuously at entrances to places where food is served or consumed.
  • Minimum and scaling requirements:
    • Each school must have at least 2 sanitization stands.
    • An additional stand is required for each occupancy limit in increments of 25.

Section 103 — Health screenings and exclusion from school

  • (a) Prohibitions on entry/remaining on school premises for anyone who:
    • Knows they have a contagious illness or disease; or
    • Has a body temperature of 100°F (37.8°C) or higher; or
    • Displays non-allergy related cold/flu symptoms (e.g., constant sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, sore throat, coughing, profuse sweating).
  • (b) If a student exhibits such symptoms:
    • The student shall be sent to the school nurse.
    • Parents/guardians shall be contacted about the symptoms and for arrangements for transportation from school.

Who is affected

  • Students, teachers, administrators, employees, and vendors at public, private, and charter schools serving pre-K–12 students.

Implementation and timeline considerations

  • The bill would require new infrastructure (sanitization stands) and a defined symptom/exclusion protocol.
  • The required number of stands scales with occupancy, potentially affecting larger schools more significantly.
  • Implementation would be overseen by the Commissioner of Public Health for approval of dispensers (Section 2, Chapter 111 reference).
  • As a proposed bill, there is no enacted effective date provided; passage would initiate regulatory and operational changes in schools.

Potential impact

  • Enhances on-site hand hygiene and potentially reduces transmission of illnesses in school settings.
  • Establishes a clear exclusion policy for contagious illness and fever, guiding nurse referrals and parental notification.
  • Could entail upfront and ongoing costs for stands, signage, and compliance across districts, with variable impact based on school size and current facilities.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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