Committee approves substitute requiring school cardiac emergency plans, phased AED rollout

The House Education Committee approved a committee substitute for House Bill 54 that would require each school to develop and implement a cardiac emergency response plan and to ensure appropriate placement and use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs). Committee members approved the substitute on a do pass recommendation (committee substitute approved 8–2), with implementation phased to start in high schools the first year and expand to all schools in a subsequent year.

Representative Herndon presented the substitute and called on Mahesh Sita of the American Heart Association to summarize changes. Sita said the committee substitute aims to give districts flexibility: "This is not a mandate for every school teacher to be trained in CPR," he said, adding that schools could use existing safety teams, administrators or medical staff to implement plans. The substitute requires a cardiac emergency response plan that addresses appropriate use of school personnel and placement of AEDs.

Committee members raised questions about funding and possible unfunded-mandate effects on rural districts. Representative Collins, who said his district has already purchased AEDs, urged clarity on resources and funding pathways. Representative Barbacaba suggested public–private partnerships as one way to cover costs. The sponsor and witnesses said they would work with appropriations and the Public Education Department to clarify funding sources and to encourage districts to use existing resources while pursuing any available state support.

On a roll call, the committee approved the committee substitute with eight votes in favor and two opposed; the chair said the committee would send a do-pass recommendation on the substitute. The substitute requires phased implementation beginning with high schools and sets school-level flexibility for who will be trained and how the plan fits within existing safety or medical plans.