In 2022, 8-year-old Landon McCubbins choked on a bouncy ball in a Nelson County classroom. His mother, Lauren McCubbins, told the House Primary and Secondary Education Committee on Wednesday her son died after all efforts to dislodge the bouncy ball from Landon’s throat failed.
Rep. Candy Massaroni, R-Bardstown, said House Bill 44, also known as Landon’s Law, could prevent what happened to Landon from happening to another Kentucky child. She is the primary sponsor of the legislation.
“Schools will be allowed to have life-saving, anti-choking devices in their schools while removing the liability from the schools (under this bill),” Massaroni said.
(Editor’s note: A quote by Massaroni included in the press release said choking is the leading cause of death in the U.S. for children under the age of 18. OT has removed that portion of the quote due to the information that was said being inaccurate.)
The bill defines an anti-choking device as “a portable suction device used to remove an airway obstruction during a choking emergency that has been registered as a Class II medical device with the United States Food and Drug Administration.”
The device would be an option, not a requirement, for schools, according to the legislation.
Rep. Tina Bojanowski, D-Louisville, asked Massaroni and McCubbins to describe the LifeVac device.
Massaroni said a LifeVac is a simple, non-invasive device that fits over a child or adult’s mouth. It uses suction to remove an obstruction from someone’s throat. She said the device is registered with the FDA and in the process of becoming FDA-approved.
“The CDC came out and recommended that anybody that wants to be ADA compliant should get them,” Massaroni added.
Rep. Emily Callaway, R-Louisville, asked Massaroni if the Heimlich maneuver is included in the legislation.
Massaroni said the legislation recommends typical protocols prior to using the LifeVac device, and the Heimlich maneuver is one of the first. The device is an alternative if the Heimlich maneuver does not work, she said.
The House Primary and Secondary Education Committee unanimously approved Landon’s Law. It now goes before the full House for consideration.
Information from Kentucky Legislative Research Commission.
