Committee advances bills on school nurse pay and school epinephrine options

The Senate Education Committee advanced two measures intended to support student health services in schools.

Sen. Hensley presented SB1715, which would require local education agencies to compensate nationally certified school nurses on the same salary schedule as licensed personnel with equivalent experience. Shanna Groom of the Tennessee Association of School Nurses testified the national certification process is rigorous and that only about 62 nurses across the state currently hold that credential; she told the committee most of those nurses are in larger districts that already pay at that level. The committee voted to move SB1715 to Finance (9 ayes).

Sen. Hensley also introduced SB1716 to broaden the forms of epinephrine schools may maintain beyond auto‑injectables to include other FDA‑approved forms such as nasal sprays. The sponsor said the amendment adopted in committee updated the effective date; the committee sent SB1716 to Finance (9 ayes).

What happens next

Both bills go to the Finance Committee for fiscal review and then to the full Senate for further consideration. If enacted, SB1715 would affect local salary obligations for certified school nurses and SB1716 would change allowable emergency medication formulations available on school property.