Brooks Bill to Improve School Tick Response Heading to Governor

HARRISBURG - Legislation introduced by Sen. Michele Brooks (R-50) to create a standard protocol in response to a tick being removed from a student during the school day is headed to the governor to be signed into law, after the state House approved it today.

"Ticks carry transmittable diseases that can threaten the long-term health and wellbeing of our children, if not detected early enough" Brooks said. "This is an especially pronounced threat in Pennsylvania due to our large tick population."

Senate Bill 232 would require schools to notify a parent or guardian in writing if a tick is removed from a student, in addition to providing information on the symptoms of Lyme disease.

The legislation also requires the school to preserve the tick for the parent or guardian, and to provide information on how to mail it to the Tick Research Lab of Pennsylvania at East Stroudsburg University for free testing, if the parent or guardian chooses to do so. If not, the school can send the tick to the Tick Lab for free testing, and upon receiving the results, will provide them to the parent or guardian.

The school may not make a copy of the results, nor include any information regarding the results in the child's school medical record. They may notate the diseases present in the tick, with no identifying or personal information of the child, for purposes of compiling data as to what diseases are present in the ticks on and around the school's property.

"The critical information available by testing a tick found on a child can help medical professionals make important decisions that may protect the child from possible neurological impairment, joint pain, irregular heartbeat and other chronic conditions associated with diseases transmitted by ticks," Brooks said. "Many people primarily focus on Lyme Disease since we lead the country in Lyme cases, however there are many other tick-related diseases that have been found in Pennsylvania that can cause significant health problems. In addition to this legislation, I would like to remind everyone that the process is simple for anyone who finds a tick on themselves, a family member or pet, that they can place it in a zip-locked bag and send it to the tick lab and have it tested free of charge."

Pennsylvanians can learn more about how to submit a tick sample and the test results that are often necessary for doctors to pursue treatment at TickLab.org.

Approximately one in four cases of Lyme occur in children, with children ages five to nine being at the greatest risk for contracting Lyme and other tickborne illnesses.

Brooks' bill, which previously was approved by the Senate, now heads to the desk of Gov. Josh Shapiro to be signed into law.

CONTACT: Adam Gingrich, 717-787-1322