A new California law, based on the vision of 13-year-old youth advocate Zacky Muñoz, has been enacted, ensuring that individuals with life-threatening food allergies have equitable access to epinephrine delivery systems in schools across the state. The legislation is the culmination of a two-and-a-half-year effort led by Zachy and his non-profit, The Zacky Project.
The new policy modernizes California’s Code by replacing the outdated term “epinephrine auto-injector” with the broader phrase “epinephrine delivery systems.” This change ensures that schools can adopt any device approved by the FDA capable of administering epinephrine, which includes traditional auto-injectors, nasal sprays, and other emerging technologies.
Muñoz laid the foundation for the new law with his proposal of the Zacky FAST Act (Food Allergy Safety and Treatment Act), first introduced in 2024 as Assembly Bill 2714 and refined for reintroduction in 2025 as Assembly Bill 228. Although a Senate version of the proposal was ultimately signed by the Governor, The Zacky Project highlighted that it reflected the core framework, content, and intent of Muñoz’s original idea.
Said Zacky:
We may not have seen our exact bill number signed, but we saw our idea through. This law reflects exactly what we set out to do, protect those with food allergies and make things safer for everyone.
The organization was proud of the outcome, stating:
We are honored that the Senator’s Office saw the importance to introduced an identical version of our proposal (the Zacky FAST ACT) of AB228 in the Senate. While the Senate bill was ultimately signed, its content, definitions, and framework were those first developed and advanced by efforts of 13 year old advocate. We are proud that his idea and the groundwork laid over the past two and a half years made this historic outcome possible.
This is the third law that Muñoz has successfully championed in the state of California, having previously advocated for the passage of The Zacky Bill (AB 2640) in 2022, which established the state’s first Food Allergy Resource Guide for schools, and the Munoz SAFE Act (AB1651) in 2023, which mandated annual staff training and the central location of epinephrine in schools.
Zacky, whose advocacy journey began at age six after suffering his first anaphylactic reaction, expressed deep satisfaction that his long-term vision has become law:
It’s so rewarding to see the idea we worked on for years finally become California law. This began as a vision to make sure students like me could access life-saving epinephrine through any FDA-approved delivery system, not just one type. Seeing that idea now signed into law proves that hard work, teamwork, and persistence can truly make change happen.
Our congratulations to Zacky, his family, and all those behind the scenes at the Zacky Project! The fruit of their efforts serves as an example for other states to help protect their citizens.
