With governor's signature, family's quest for sepsis awareness becomes law

Brooke DeSantis said she's amazed that her push for better understanding and treatment of sepsis will have gone from proposed bill to enacted law in less than a year.

The payoff for her efforts came on Thursday, when Gov. Wes Moore signed Lochlin's Law — which honors DeSantis' late son — into law.

The legislation requires hospitals, urgent care centers and special facilities across Maryland to develop protocols and train care providers to better identify sepsis.

In 2020, Lochlin was 5 years old when he died less than 12 hours after he was taken to an urgent care center with symptoms that were diagnosed as influenza A and mild dehydration. He actually had flu-related sepsis, a life-threatening condition that occurs when the immune system overreacts to an existing infection, causing inflammation in the body.

Since then, his parents have worked to educate the public and medical professionals about the signs and dangers of sepsis.

Brooke DeSantis and her husband, William, started the Love for Lochlin Foundation, which distributes vaccines, medical supplies and resources to local communities.

Del. Ken Kerr and state Sen. Karen Lewis Young, both representing Frederick County, sponsored House and Senate versions of Lochlin's Law. The bills sailed through both chambers with unanimous votes.

DeSantis said in an interview on Thursday that she remembers Kerr telling her on Nov. 1, 2023, that there would be a bill for the 2024 Maryland General Assembly session.

Now that Moore has signed it, Lochlin's Law goes into effect on Oct. 1, 2024.

She described the final step as both "huge" and "a relief."

DeSantis was in Annapolis on Thursday for the bill signing, along with William and their sons, Ronan, 14, and Pierce, 7. A crew of many friends and other supporters joined them, including county and state officials from Frederick County.

DeSantis said Moore told her that he's excited that Maryland will be the first in the nation with a law that establishes a broad protocol for sepsis. New York has its own measure, but it's more limited in its scope, she said.

She is working with the Sepsis Alliance and has spoken with representatives for U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen and U.S. Rep. David Trone to consider a similar federal law.

In a statement on Thursday, Van Hollen's office said: "The Senator is aware of the state bill and grateful for Brooke’s efforts. Our office met with Brooke and recently received information from her on this issue, which we’re in the process of reviewing."

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Other Frederick County bills signed on Thursday included:

• HB0149: requiring medical offices to notify patients and allow the retrieval of medical records before destruction

• HB1122: requiring a request for the acquisition of a nursing home to go before the Maryland Health Care Commission

• HB1125: updating the licensing requirements for Certified Nursing Assistants

• HB0292: authorizing the State Board of Contract Appeals to award attorney fees

• HB1476: altering appointment requirements for members of the State Board of Audiologists, Hearing Aid Dispensers, Speech-Language Pathologists and Music Therapists

• HB0806: updating certain regulations applying to physician assistants

• HB1110: authorizing the city of Frederick to participate in the Maryland Intrastate Emergency Management Assistance Compact

• SB0574: repealing a reporting requirement related to a sales and use tax exemption for aircraft parts and equipment

• SB0769: altering a property tax credit for real property located in a Frederick County historic district

• HB0960: repealing an antiquated law requiring the assignment of municipal offenders in the city of Frederick to road work

• SB1039: authorizing the establishment of a truancy reduction pilot program in the juvenile court in Frederick County

• HB0586/SB0563: allowing the New Spire Arts Center to be covered by the Weinberg Center for the Arts’ existing liquor license

• HB0587/SB0561: allowing the Frederick County Liquor Board to issue temporary permits to manufacturers looking to open up their facilities for private events

• HB0588/SB0560: allowing the manager of a municipal golf course in legislative District 3 to be recognized as the facility’s licensee by the Frederick County Liquor Board.

• HB0742/SB0770: amending the Frederick Keys’ liquor license to allow Harry Grove Stadium to sell premixed, canned cocktails in addition to wine and beer.

• HB0743/SB0767: authorizing the Frederick County Liquor Board to issue promoters’ licenses

• HB1377: establishing a Class DBR brewery license and a Class DDS distillery permit