NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY

Assemblyman Felix Ortiz 51st A.D.

Albany Office Room 826, Legislative Office Building Albany, New York 12248 518-455-3821 District Office 404 55st Street Brooklyn, New York 11220 718-492-6334

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 17, 2012

Contact: (518) 455-3821.

Allowing Inhalers for Students with Asthma

Assemblyman Ortizs legislation A.935, which allows students with respiratory illness to carry personal inhaler to school in case of emergency, has passed the Assembly.

(Albany, N.Y) Assemblyman Felix W. Ortiz (Brooklyn, 51st AD) is pleased that his legislation, A.935, passed the Assembly on May 15. 2012, and was delivered to the Senate. Bill A.935 allows students with respiratory illness, such as asthma, to carry a personal inhaler to school, in case of emergency. This legislation also requires school nurse to have inhalers available for those in need during emergency situation. The number of people who have asthma is growing every year. In the U.S., 1 in 10 children suffer from asthma. There were 185 students who die from asthma in the U.S. in 2007. However, many of those deaths are preventable. Assemblyman Ortiz is urging the Senate to pass this legislation so that many of these unfortunate incidents will not occur in the future. Assemblyman Ortiz expressed: Im glad that this bill passed the Assembly and I look forward to the same support from my colleagues in the Senate. Having such a law in place will create another measure to protect our children who have asthma. Assemblyman Ortiz also added: Currently, New York is one of two remaining states in U.S. without anaphylaxis laws. I am currently pushing for another piece of legislation, A.840, which allows students with allergic conditions to carry epinephrine and auto-injectors to school. The passage of this bill will ensure that there are available epinephrines in school for students who have severe allergic reaction to certain type of food or insects sting. -- 30 --