Wisconsin lawmaker proposes Dillon's Law
(WBAY) - A local lawmaker is proposing legislation that would give more people the ability to administer life-saving care to someone suffering a severe allergic reaction.
Representative Andre Jacque has come to know the Mueller family from Mishicot well, after their 18-year old son Dillon suffered anaphylaxis and died from a bee sting in 2014.
“Eagle scout, just a very lively young man, excellent student and really, greatly missed by the community,” says Jacque about Mueller.
After Dillon’s death, his parents successfully lobbied for a new law to allow businesses and organizations in Wisconsin to undergo the proper training to obtain epinephrine auto-injectors, often called EpiPens, for emergency administration to individuals suffering a severe allergic reaction.
What Jacque, a Republican lawmaker representing the 2nd Assembly District, is proposing now is what he calls a common sense addition to the original bill.
“This is really something that from a public safety standpoint just makes a lot of sense,” says Jacque.
Within a few weeks, Jacque will introduce Dillon’s Law, which would allow anyone properly trained to use an EpiPen anywhere.
“Let’s say that you’re a phy-ed teacher and you’re prescribed to be able to use an EpiPen while you’re at work at school, but if you want to go to the family reunion or to a boy scout hike, you can’t bring that EpiPen with you, it has to remain at school and that doesn’t make sense,” says Jacque.
Jacque says data shows anaphylaxis results in 1,500 deaths each year in this country and people with EpiPens for themselves have saved the lives of others.
“It’s always helpful to have somebody else who’s trained and qualified to be able to administer and have that with them because minutes are very precious,” says Jacque.