House Children & Youth Committee unanimously approves bipartisan bill for food allergy training and medication in daycare facilities
Northeast Delegation June 4, 2025 | 2:49 PM
HARRISBURG, June 4 – The House Children and Youth Committee today unanimously approved bipartisan legislation to help childcare facilities better manage food allergies (H.B. 928) and sent it to the full House for further consideration.
Co-prime sponsored by state Reps. Bridget Kosierowski, D-Lackawanna, and Kristin Marcell, R-Bucks, the legislation would mandate food allergy and anaphylaxis training for childcare staff, emergency action planning, and access to medication like epinephrine.
“As a nurse, I know how precious time is when someone is suffering an allergic reaction and how critical thorough training and available medication are at those key moments,” Kosierowski said. “This bill will provide critical training and medication so that day care workers can immediately identify the signs of an allergic reaction and provide life-saving medication like epinephrine.
“As more and more hospitals are closing, the day care will have to replace the emergency room as the site where life-saving care is provided. This legislation will save lives.”
Known as Elijah’s Law, the bill is named after 3-year-old Elijah Silvera who died from an allergic reaction to a dairy product he ingested at his day care. Following his son’s death, Thomas Silvera has advocated for the passage of Elijah’s Law that would require the education and provision of life-saving medicine to childcare workers and teachers.
“As a mom of a child with severe food allergies, this bill is deeply personal to me,” said Marcell. “No parent should have to worry that their child won’t receive timely care in the event of an allergic reaction. This legislation gives day care staff the training and tools they need to act quickly and confidently when every second counts. I’m proud to work with Rep. Kosierowski to advance a bill that will help save lives and provide peace of mind to families across Pennsylvania.
The law has already passed in IL, NY, MD, VA, CA and AR.