Pandemic School Nurse Training to Protect Students and Communities Act of 2020

To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to eligible entities to train elementary and secondary school nurses on how to respond to a biological or chemical attack or an outbreak of pandemic influenza in a school building or on school grounds. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Pandemic School Nurse Training to Protect Students and Communities Act of 2020 2. Establishment of a program Title VIII of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 296 J Training Nurses for Responding to Bioterrorism and Pandemic Influenza 875. GRANTS FOR RESPONDING TO BIOTERRORISM AND PANDEMIC INFLUENZA (a) Grant program The Secretary may award grants to and enter into contracts with eligible entities to train school nurses to serve as first responders and crisis managers in the event of— (1) a biological or chemical attack, including a terrorist attack, affecting individuals in a school building or on school grounds; or (2) an outbreak of pandemic influenza among students, faculty, or other individuals under their care. (b) Required elements of training Any training which is funded, in whole or in part, under this section shall prepare school nurses— (1) to take such measures as may be necessary, particularly in the critical early stages of an attack or outbreak described in subsection (a), to protect and preserve life; (2) as part of crisis management, to notify such public health authorities as may be appropriate to help contain or mitigate the effects of an attack or outbreak described in subsection (a); and (3) to take such other actions as may be appropriate and feasible, such as, in the case of a biological or chemical attack, the preservation of evidence. (c) Definitions For purposes of this section: (1) Eligible entities The term eligible entities (A) a State educational agency (as defined in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965); and (B) a local educational agency (as defined in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965). (2) School The term school (A) an elementary school (as defined in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965); and (B) a secondary school (as defined in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965). (3) School grounds The term school grounds (d) Authorization of appropriations For the purpose of carrying out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $20,000,000 for each fiscal year after fiscal year 2020. .

Summary: Pandemic School Nurse Training to Protect Students and Communities Act of 2020 This bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to make grants to, and enter into contracts with, state and local education agencies to train elementary and secondary school nurses to serve as first responders and crisis managers in the event of a biological or chemical attack at a school or an outbreak of pandemic influenza among individuals under their care. The training must prepare school nurses to (1) protect and preserve life; (2) notify public health authorities to help contain or mitigate the effects of an attack or outbreak; and (3) take other appropriate and feasible actions, such as preserve evidence of an attack.