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An Act To Ensure the Least Restrictive Learning Environment in Public Schools for Students with Food Allergies
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §6305  is enacted to read:
§ 6305. Student food allergies
 
1.  Food allergy documented.     A food allergy of a student must be documented in writing by a qualified health care practitioner and that documentation must be provided to the superintendent.
 
2.  Information to parents.     Upon receiving documentation of a student food allergy under subsection 1, a superintendent shall send out a food allergy awareness information sheet under subsection 3 to all parents of students who attend school with the student who has the allergy:
 
A.  Immediately after the documentation of a student food allergy is received by the superintendent; and
 
B.  If the student with the allergy is still attending that school, at a reasonable time before an event or occasion for which students or parents bring food to the school.
 
3.  Food allergy awareness information sheet.     A food allergy awareness information sheet must state that a student at the school has a particular food allergy and a request that a parent of a student who attends that school refrain from bringing or sending with that parent's student that type of food to school. A food allergy awareness information sheet may not forbid a parent from bringing or sending with that parent's student a type of food to school because a student at the school is allergic to that type of food.
 
4.  Information for parents of allergic students.     A superintendent shall provide a parent of an allergic student under subsection 1 with a brochure containing information to educate the parent on coping with food allergies at schools, including a copy of Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
 
SUMMARY
This bill requires a school superintendent who receives documentation that a student has a food allergy to send a food allergy awareness information sheet to all parents of students at the school asking them not to bring or send with their students that type of food to school and a brochure to the parent of the allergic student containing information to educate the parent on coping with food allergies at schools.