School Protection Act of 2016

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 illness in a school building or on school grounds. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the School Protection Act of 2016 2. Establishment of a program Title VIII of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 296 et seq. J Training Nurses for Responding to Bioterrorism and Pandemic Illness 875. Grants for Responding to Bioterrorism and Pandemic Illness (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 illness 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 9101(41) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965); and (B) a local educational agency (as defined in section 9101(26) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965). (2) School The term school (A) an elementary school (as defined in section 9101(18) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965); and (B) a secondary school (as defined in section 9101(38) 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 2017. .

Summary: School Protection Act of 2016 This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Department of Health and Human Services to make grants and enter contracts 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 illness 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.