Legislation requiring epinephrine auto-injectors in venues with seating for 1,000 people or more has been passed by the NY State Legislature. It makes the requirement of life-saving epinephrine similar to the requirements of other life-saving devices and rescue medications such as Automated External Defibrillators (AED) machines and Narcan. This is especially critical in New York, where an estimated two million residents have potentially life-threatening food allergies including more than 300,000 children 18 and under.
The legislation also requires at least one staff member or volunteer who is trained to administer the devices to be present during such events.
The idea for the legislation — sponsored by State Senator Andrew Gounardes, Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal, and members of the New York State Legislature — was first conceived by Lucia Zaremba, a 15-year-old high school student from Brooklyn at the time, who brought the idea to Sen Gounardes’ attention after seeing how epinephrine administered by her mother saved her younger brother’s life during an anaphylactic episode.
“My brother and I, we’re best friends,” she said. “We do everything together; we share pretty much everything, except for allergies.”
Lucia’s brother John is allergic to many foods, including peanuts, tree nuts, sesame seeds, and legumes, and developed alpha-gal syndrome — an allergy to red meat — from a tick bite.
The bill passed the State Senate on May 29, and the State Assembly last week and now heads to Governor Kathy Hochul’s desk where she is expected to sign the bill into law in the coming months.
Said Jason Linde, FARE’s Senior Vice President of Advocacy:
This bill was personal to me as someone who was born and raised in New York with food allergies. I was inspired by Lucia and her family, and wanted to make sure we did everything possible to support her efforts.
This bill is a model that other states can follow to keep their food allergy families safe.
Said Sung Poblete, PhD, RN, CEO of FARE:
Whether it is visiting Yankee Stadium in the Bronx or the JMA Dome in Syracuse, New York’s two million food allergy families are now safer thanks to the work of Sen. Gounardes, Assemblymember Rosenthal, Lucia Zaremba, and the hundreds of advocates who supported this legislation. FARE is proud to have endorsed this much-needed bill, traveled to Albany to lobby for it, and looks forward to working in other states to pass it.
The legislation will take effect immediately following Governor Hochul’s signature.
- Public Venues to Be Safer for New York’s Two Million Food Allergy Families — FARE Press Release
- Senate Bill S1078A — NY State Senate
