Please vote to pass HB 686 Meals for All. The children in Virginia need your help. Every child should be able to get a hot meal and not have to worry about being hungry. Parents are struggling and children are suffering. Please vote for free meals for children.

Vote in favor of: HB1039, HB732, HB686, HB603, HB498, HB497, HB482, HB386, HB253, HB224, HB215, HB134, and HB41. I would recommend including additional language in HB41 that addresses voter registrations in public schools. Being an active voter is part of our civic duty and participation in our democratic process should be taught and encouraged. Voter registration drives should be occurring in all public high schools in the Commonwealth.

Proponent Testimony for HB 1039 Chair Rasoul and Honorable Members of the House Education Committee: My name is Monica Billger and I am the Director of State Government Affairs for the American Diabetes Association® (ADA). I regret that I am unable to join you today; however, on behalf of the over 3 million Virginians with or at risk for diabetes, I want to take a few moments to share the ADA’s support for House Bill 1039. This life-saving legislation would allow local school boards to adopt and implement policies - consistent with the guidance outlined in the Diabetes Management In School: Manual for Unlicensed Personnel, published by the Department of Health - for the possession and administration of undesignated glucagon in schools for use when a child experiences a hypoglycemic, or low blood glucose, emergency. The parent or guardian of a student with diabetes is expected to ensure that all necessary diabetes supplies, including glucagon, are provided to the school for use by the school nurse - or other employee trained in the administration of glucagon - in providing diabetes care to their child. However, some cases arise where a parent or guardian is unable to provide the glucagon for their child or the glucagon is found to have expired. The American Diabetes Association does not believe a child with diabetes should be denied immediate emergency care, simply because their prescribed glucagon is not available on-site or has expired. Since glucagon cannot be administered without an order from the student’s health care provider, the student would still be required to have such an order for glucagon on file with the school in order for the undesignated glucagon to be administered. House Bill 1039 would allow for a prescriber to authorize possession and administration of undesignated glucagon in schools for use when necessary. The legislation is permissive in that it “allows” rather than “requires” a school to maintain a supply of undesignated glucagon. Parents and guardians will still be encouraged to provide the prescribed glucagon for their child, but this undesignated supply will be available for use if a life-threatening emergency arises. The American Diabetes Association supports House Bill 1039 and urges your approval as well. Thank you for your time and consideration. If you have any questions, please direct them to me at mbillger@diabetes.org and I will do my best to answer them for you.