Committee adopts narrow amendment to AED plan bill after broad testimony on school cardiac response plans

House Bill 13 63, a proposal to require cardiac emergency response plans (SERPs) and accessible automated external defibrillators (AEDs) at schools and school‑sponsored events, drew broad support from health organizations, educators and parents during a Senate Education Committee hearing.

Representative Lisa Meyer, the bill sponsor, told the committee the bill requires public and nonpublic schools and athletic events to adopt cardiac emergency response plans and implement drills; she said the legislation was developed with input from the American Heart Association and aims to save lives by ensuring consistent planning and AED preparedness.

Amy Heuer (retired teacher and volunteer with the American Heart Association) described multiple emergencies she has encountered in schools and urged the committee to adopt a SERP requirement so that schools ‘‘have a plan in place’’ and staff understand AED location and responsibilities. Mike Cromody, testifying for the American Heart Association, told the committee the association can provide templates and implementation guidance; he noted 10 states have statutory policies for SERPs in schools and urged a do‑pass recommendation.

Committee discussion focused on a statutory requirement in the bill that each AED be “available in an unlocked location that allows the automated external defibrillator to be retrieved and placed on an individual experiencing cardiac arrest in fewer than 3 minutes.” Senators raised concerns about strict liability if facilities are large or events occur off‑site (for example, golf courses, cross‑country courses or civic auditoriums). To address those concerns the committee adopted an amendment from Senator Tim Axman to add the words “when circumstances reasonably permit” after the three‑minute phrase; the amendment passed 6‑0. Axman said the additional phrase would give local planners reasonable flexibility for venue‑specific circumstances.

Witnesses described implementation best practices: identify an on‑site cardiac response team, post AED locations, provide CPR/AED training for staff and practice response drills that include local EMS. Amy Huer and Michelle Tipton (an EMS instructor and parent who lost a child to sudden cardiac arrest) emphasized the 3‑to‑5‑minute window as the clinically important response range and said the statutory goal is to encourage placement and drills that maximize survival.

The committee debated additional drafting questions later in the day, including whether the bill should require placement only on school property or extend to school‑sponsored events at off‑site venues and whether language should require schools to “place” AEDs or to “ensure AEDs are present” at venues that schools use but do not own. A motion to further amend the bill to replace the word “place” with “ensure” was discussed in committee but the sponsor and amendment proponents ultimately withdrew the motion for further drafting; the transcript records the committee tabling further edits so staff can prepare clarified language.

Actions recorded in the hearing: the committee approved Senator Axman’s amendment, 6 yays, 0 nays (vote recorded at the hearing). A later proposed amendment was offered and subsequently rescinded during committee discussion; no final committee vote on a do‑pass recommendation appears in the transcript.

Ending: Supporters said the bill’s templates and drills will help standardize local plans and improve survival from cardiac arrest in school settings; committee members asked staff to draft clarified language about off‑site events and AED placement before a final vote.