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Bill

Bill

B 26-0688

Student Health Care Amendment Act of 2026

26th Council Period (2025-2026) Introduced by Phil Mendelson

DC Health will standardize annual student health forms, take over management of epinephrine in schools, and shift the poison control center to the Maryland Poison Center.

Referred to Committee on Health, and Committee of the Whole
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Bill Summary · B 26-0688

Summary of Bill: Student Health Care Amendment Act of 2026 (B 26-0688)

Purpose and main intent

The bill updates and standardizes student health documentation, shifts certain health program responsibilities within DC Health, and redesignates the District’s poison control center. Its overall aim is to align statutory language with recent programmatic changes in the school health program, improve data sharing, and clarify roles in emergencies involving students.

Key provisions and changes

  • Certificate of Health and Certificate of Oral Health (new standard forms)

    • Establishes the Certificate of Health and the Certificate of Oral Health as standardized documents created by the Mayor.
    • The Mayor must post the forms on DC Health’s website.
    • Annual submission required for all students from prekindergarten through 12th grade in public, public charter, private, or independent schools.
    • The forms must incorporate and report health information as determined by the Mayor, including a section on blood lead levels for health monitoring.

  • Amendments to the Student Health Act of 1985

    • Replaces the previous requirement for a lead-poisoning testing certificate with the new Certificate of Health.
    • Removes certain prior examination prerequisites and consolidates annual health documentation under the new standard forms.
    • DC Health is designated as responsible for developing and posting the health forms and the lead information reporting.

  • Epinephrine and undesignated emergency medications (UEM)

    • Amends the Student Access to Treatment Act of 2007 to designate epinephrine as an undesignated emergency medication.
    • Transfers management of student access to epinephrine in public schools from the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) to DC Health.
    • DC Health would implement and oversee the undesignated emergency medications action plan.

  • Poison control center redesignation

    • Replaces the designation of the National Capital Poison Center with the Maryland Poison Center of the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy as the District’s poison control center.

  • Dissolution of Perinatal and Infant Health Advisory Committee

    • Repeals certain provisions within the Community Health Omnibus Amendment Act of 2018 that governed this advisory committee, aligning with DC Health’s updated maternal health advisory structure.

  • Conforming and related amendments

    • Makes minor conforming amendments in related statutes (e.g., pesticide operations provisions) to reflect the Maryland Poison Center designation.
    • Repeals several minor statutory provisions related to perinatal health and other cataloged sections.

Affected parties and entities

  • Students and families: required annual submission of standardized health forms.
  • Schools: must collect and maintain health and oral health certificates.
  • DC Health: designated lead agency for the new health forms, lead data collection, and management of undesignated emergency medications in schools; responsible for distribution and oversight of UEM supplies.
  • OSSE: Its role is reduced for epinephrine management in schools.
  • Poison control operations: designation shift to the Maryland Poison Center.
  • Perinatal/Infant Health Advisory Committee: provisions repealed, restructuring under DC Health.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Effective date: after Mayor’s approval, a 30-day congressional review period, and publication in the DC Register (standard DC Home Rule process).
  • Fiscal impact: initial analyses indicate sufficient funds are available from fiscal year 2026 through 2029 to implement the changes; cost impact for annual certificate submissions and the poison center redesign is not expected to be new or incremental beyond existing programs.

Overall impact

The bill streamlines and standardizes student health documentation, clarifies the role of DC Health in emergency medication management in schools, and aligns poison control designation with current vendor arrangements, while dissolving an older perinatal advisory structure.

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

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