Georgia Code
Part 3 - Health
§ 20-2-779. Care of Students With Diabetes; Definitions; Training of School Employees; Diabetes Medical Management Plan; No Liability for Staff; Application to Private Schools

History. Code 1981, § 20-2-779 , enacted by Ga. L. 2012, p. 86, § 2/HB 879.
Cross references.
Diabetes coordinator, § 31-2A-13.
Editor’s notes.
Ga. L. 2012, p. 86, § 1/HB 879, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: “The General Assembly finds that:
“(1) Diabetes is a serious, chronic disease that impairs the body’s ability to use food. Diabetes must be managed 24 hours a day in order to avoid the potentially life-threatening consequences of blood glucose levels that are either too high (hyperglycemia) or too low (hypoglycemia), and to avoid or delay the serious long-term complications of high blood glucose levels which include blindness, amputation, heart disease, and kidney failure.
“(2) In order to manage their disease, students with diabetes must have access to the means to balance food, medications, and physical activity levels while at school and at school related activities;
“(3) Diabetes is generally a self-managed disease, and many students with diabetes are able to perform most of their own diabetes care tasks. Such students should be permitted to do so in the school setting. However, some students, because of age, inexperience, or other factors, need help with some or all of diabetes care tasks, and all students will need help in the event of a diabetes emergency;
“(4) The school nurse is the preferred person in the school setting to provide or facilitate care for a student with diabetes. Many schools in Georgia, however, do not have a full-time nurse, or a school nurse may not always be available on site. Thus, even when a nurse is assigned to a school full time, he or she will not always be available to provide direct care during the school day;
“(5) Diabetes management is needed at all times. Additional school personnel, who have completed training coordinated by the school nurse or other health care professional and who provide care under the supervision of the school nurse or other health care professional, need to be prepared to perform diabetes care tasks at school when a school nurse or other health care professional is not available. Preparations are needed to ensure that students with diabetes will be medically safe and have the same access to educational opportunities as all students in Georgia; and
“(6) Due to the significant number of students with diabetes, the effect of diabetes upon a student’s ability to learn, and the risk for serious long-term and short-term medical complications, legislation in this state is necessary to address this issue.”
Law reviews.
For annual survey on administrative law, see 64 Mercer L. Rev. 39 (2012).

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