HB 1502 - DIGEST

Finds that schools are increasingly required to play an expanding role in protecting our children's health and that school nurses play a pivotal role in improving the health and education success of school-age children. Current data from the office of the superintendent of public instruction indicates the statewide average ratio of nurses to students is one to two thousand six hundred fifty.

Declares an intent to create a nurse-to-student ratio of one to seven hundred fifty by the 2015-16 school year, phased-in as follows: One to fifteen hundred during the 2009-2011 biennium; one to twelve hundred fifty during the 2011-2013 biennium; one to one thousand during the 2013-2015 biennium; and one to seven hundred fifty during the 2015-2017 biennium.

Requires public school districts, in order to provide for the health and safety of students, to provide for professional registered nurse services to manage the student and school health services, as established in RCW 28A.150.260.