AB 2640 -The Zacky’s Bill
Information
AB 2640 creates the California Food Allergy Resource Guide to provide school districts, parents, caregivers and students with necessary information to keep students with food allergies safe at school. The bill directs the Department of Education to include state and federal resources, methods to initiate individualized food allergy management and prevention plans, and other ways to minimize risk of food anaphylaxis in school. AB2640 is named after ‘Zacky’, a child who has life-threatening food allergies and suffered two anaphlactic reactions in his 1st grade school year. He has made it his personal mission to champion a state resource guide and ensure that all kids with food allergies and caregivers have the most available and comprehensive information possible in school.
THE ISSUE
According to the Food Allergy Research Education (FARE) organization, as many as 32 million Americans suffer from life threatening allergies. This accounts for a 377% increase in the diagnosis of anaphylactic food reactions between 2007 and 2016. Of this population, 1 in 13 are children who rely on parents, caregivers, teachers, and school administrators to keep them safe while at school. Due to an oversaturation of information on food allergies, it can be difficult for parents and school officials to navigate the complex collection of existing state and federal resources. This confusion is compounded by the fact that school districts vary wildly in terms of the resources they devote to student health. While some school districts have the resources to provide parents with information on best practices and give students access to school nutritionists, many districts cannot. Unfortunately, California does not offer all school districts and parents a comprehensive resource guide on food allergies. Parents and caregivers shouldn’t need an advanced degree to understand all of the resources available to them. It is imperative that the state make it as easy for schools, parents, caregivers, and students to access comprehensive and straightforward information that will improve campus safety for students with food allergies.
THE SOLUTION
AB 2640 requires the Department of Education to create the California Food Allergy Resource Guide for voluntary use by school districts and parents to help protect students with food allergies.
The guide will provide practical information, planning steps, and strategies for reducing allergic reactions to food within schools and early education centers. Specifically, the guide will include information on state and federal resources available to students with food allergies, methods for students to initiate individualized food allergy management and prevention plans, ways to obtain food ingredient lists from school food providers, and strategies to minimize the risk of food anaphylaxis in school.
The bill also encourages school districts to follow the guide and distribute it to parents and students to ensure that campuses are safe and inclusive
AB 2640 creates the California Food Allergy Resource Guide to provide school districts, parents, caregivers and students with necessary information to keep students with food allergies safe at school. The bill directs the Department of Education to include state and federal resources, methods to initiate individualized food allergy management and prevention plans, and other ways to minimize risk of food anaphylaxis in school. AB2640 is named after ‘Zacky’, a child who has life-threatening food allergies and suffered two anaphlactic reactions in his 1st grade school year. He has made it his personal mission to champion a state resource guide and ensure that all kids with food allergies and caregivers have the most available and comprehensive information possible in school.THE ISSUE
According to the Food Allergy Research Education (FARE) organization, as many as 32 million Americans suffer from life threatening allergies. This accounts for a 377% increase in the diagnosis of anaphylactic food reactions between 2007 and 2016. Of this population, 1 in 13 are children who rely on parents, caregivers, teachers, and school administrators to keep them safe while at school. Due to an oversaturation of information on food allergies, it can be difficult for parents and school officials to navigate the complex collection of existing state and federal resources. This confusion is compounded by the fact that school districts vary wildly in terms of the resources they devote to student health. While some school districts have the resources to provide parents with information on best practices and give students access to school nutritionists, many districts cannot. Unfortunately, California does not offer all school districts and parents a comprehensive resource guide on food allergies. Parents and caregivers shouldn’t need an advanced degree to understand all of the resources available to them. It is imperative that the state make it as easy for schools, parents, caregivers, and students to access comprehensive and straightforward information that will improve campus safety for students with food allergies.
Zacky received the California Senate Golden Resolution, highest California Senate Recognition, for his efforts to pass Munoz SAFE ACT.
Why Zacky’s Bill?
Zacky is a spiderman, dinosaur loving 9-year-old who has multiple food allergies, from nuts to sesame. Like many food allergy kids Zacky has had a lifetime of hives, eczema and other allergy invoked symptoms. During his 1st grade year, Zacky had is his first anaphlactic reaction that required the administration of epinephrine at school. That was the day when Zacky and family looked at allergies in a very different way.
Food allergies were an issue that was no longer just about how to protect Zacky but how to protect and provide a voice for ALL food allergy kiddos and make their parent’s life a bit easier too. Zacky has since served as a leading voice in food allergy awareness.
The family wrote a bill and a legislator listened. Together, Zacky and family hope to move the needle a tiny bit and bring change and awareness to an issue impacting 32 million Americans and 6 million kids.
California, Let’s do this!