SB 431

Abstract

Department of Education; COVID-19; guidelines; alternative to quarantine. Requires the Department of Education, in collaboration with the Department of Health, to (i) recommend options for isolation and quarantine for students and employees at public schools who contract or are exposed to COVID-19 and (ii) develop guidelines for such schools and recommend such guidelines for use as an alternative to quarantine. The bill requires such guidelines to be immediately distributed to local school boards and reflect the most updated recommendations to limit the amount of time out of the classroom, including options for no quarantine, as recommended for asymptomatic individuals.

Department of Education; COVID-19; guidelines; emergency. Requires the Department of Education, in collaboration with the Department of Health, to (i) recommend options for isolation and quarantine for students and employees at public schools who contract or are exposed to COVID-19 and (ii) develop guidelines for such schools and recommend such guidelines for use as an alternative to quarantine. The bill requires such guidelines to be immediately distributed to local school boards and reflect the most updated recommendations to limit the amount of time out of the classroom, including options for no quarantine, as recommended for asymptomatic individuals. The bill contains an emergency clause.

Board of Education; COVID-19; test-to-stay guidelines. Requires the Board of Education, in collaboration with theDepartment of Health, to (i) recommend as best practice the shortestduration of quarantine possible, as recommended by the Centers forDisease Control and Prevention, for students and employees at publicschools who contract COVID-19 and (ii) develop test-to-stay guidelinesfor such schools and recommend such guidelines to schools for useas an alternative to quarantine for students and employees who contract COVID-19. The bill also provides that all guidelines established pursuant to the bill shall be immediately distributed to local schoolboards and shall reflect the most updated recommendations from theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention to limit the amount oftime out of the classroom to be as short as possible, including noquarantine, as recommended for asymptomatic individuals who havebeen fully vaccinated either within six months or have a boostedvaccination status. The bill contains an emergency clause.