AN ACT to Establish the Second Week in November as SUDEP Awareness Week in the state of North Carolina and TO recommend AWARENESS training for school personnel responsible for students with epilepsy or otherwise Predisposed to seizures.

Whereas, SUDEP is the sudden, unexpected death of a person with epilepsy who was otherwise considered healthy; and

Whereas, each year, more than one out of 1,000 people with epilepsy die from SUDEP; and

Whereas, uncontrolled seizures increase the risk of SUDEP to more than one out of 150 people; and

Whereas, during National Epilepsy Awareness Month, it is important to also bring awareness of SUDEP; Now, therefore,

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  Chapter 103 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

§ 103‑19.  SUDEP Awareness Week.

The week beginning on the second Sunday in November of each year is designated as Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) Awareness Week in North Carolina.

SECTION 2.  Article 25A of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

§ 115C‑375.7.  Seizure awareness training for school personnel.

(a)        This section shall be known and may be cited as the Shannon Leigh Adcock, Steven Anthony Christos, and Samantha Davis Memorial Act.

(b)        It is the goal of the General Assembly to encourage local boards of education to develop and provide seizure awareness training for all teachers and other school personnel who may be responsible for students with epilepsy or students that are otherwise predisposed to seizures.

SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.