INDIANA — A high-stakes legislative battle is unfolding at the Statehouse as Indiana lawmakers consider repealing a landmark law that protects students with diabetes. While proponents of the move argue the law is redundant, advocates warn that its removal would be a “dangerous step backward” for children’s safety and education.
State Representative Bob Behning (R-Indianapolis), chair of the House Education Committee, is a lead author of HB 1004, an expansive 181-page bill designed to “clean up” the state’s education code. The bill proposes the repeal of dozens of provisions, including the Care of Students with Diabetes Act, famously known as “Hunter’s Law.”
A spokesperson for the bill’s authors, including Rep. Julie McGuire (R-Indianapolis), told 13News that the state law is “duplicative.” They argue that students are already sufficiently protected under federal mandates, specifically Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Hunter’s Law was enacted in 2007 following the emotional testimony of then-9-year-old Hunter Sego. At the time, Sego told lawmakers he was missing vital class time waiting for nurses and was once even asked to leave his school because of his condition.
Now a 29-year-old medical student, Sego credits the law with his success.
“This law has enabled me to be who I am and get to where I am today,” Sego said. “It’s vital that we don’t take a step backward.”
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has come out strongly against the repeal. In a letter to lawmakers, the ADA emphasized that federal law lacks the specific, granular protections provided by the Indiana statute, such as:
- In-Class Management: Explicitly allowing students to monitor blood sugar and administer insulin in the classroom.
- Emergency Care: Ensuring immediate access to glucagon during life-threatening hypoglycemic episodes.
- Liability Protection: Protecting teachers and staff from legal repercussions when they volunteer to assist with a student’s care.
“We cannot afford to return to the days… when students missed out on field trips, and parents lost their jobs because they had to go to school daily to provide care,” the ADA stated.
The repeal caught some lawmakers by surprise. Rep. Becky Cash (R-Zionsville), who has a daughter with Type 1 diabetes, voted to move the bill out of committee before realizing Hunter’s Law was on the chopping block.
“It’s actually super frustrating,” Cash said, noting she was flooded with messages from concerned parents shortly after the vote.
If the amendment fails, the bill could move to the Senate with the repeal intact. HB 1004 moves to the House floor today, Tuesday, January 27.
Rep. Cash plans to introduce an amendment specifically to save Hunter’s Law from the repeal list.
