A bill is awaiting action from Gov. Bruce Rauner that would give Illinois police training and authorization to carry epinephrine auto-injectors to help with severe allergic reactions. The measure is named after Annie LeGere, a 13-year-old Elmhurst girl who died after having a severe allergic reaction at a sleepover.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, food allergies in children have grown 50% from 1997 to 2011.
Annie's mother, Shelly LeGere, said she has made it her mission to equip first responders with the injectors. LeGere said she wants to allocate money raised by her nonprofit organization to police departments to buy auto-injectors after police officers are trained.
The governor's office says the bill is under review.
