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Senate passes "Dacia’s Law" to require cardiac emergency response plans in schools
Summary
The New York State Senate passed legislation, nicknamed “Dacia’s Law,” that requires school safety plans to include a cardiac emergency response plan, along with training and clearer accessibility measures for AEDs. The bill passed unanimously in the Senate on June 10, 2025.
The New York State Senate on June 10 passed legislation known informally as “Dacia’s Law,” requiring school safety plans to include cardiac emergency response plans and measures to ensure automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are accessible and staff are trained.
Sponsor remarks and family presence underscored the bill’s purpose. Senator Baskin urged colleagues to support the bill, describing the 2009 death of 12‑year‑old Dacia Sanders in Buffalo and saying an AED at her school could not be accessed because “no life saving plan existed and had never been implemented in the school.” Baskin said the bill builds on prior work that placed AEDs in schools and adds training, key‑accessibility provisions and response planning. “I urge you to support Dacia’s Law,” she said on the Senate floor.
The Senate recorded the bill as: calendar 1401 / Assembly bill A785a (substitute for identical Senate bill S5539a) and read that it would take effect in January. The roll call recorded “Ayes, 59”; the bill was announced as passed on the floor.
Why it matters: Sponsors and other senators framed the measure as closing a procedural gap that can prevent life‑saving devices from being used in time. Supporters emphasized training and clear, implemented plans that specify how AEDs are stored and who is trained to use them.
What the bill does: According to the floor discussion, the law requires school safety plans to include a cardiac emergency response plan, clear accessibility measures for AEDs, and training so school staff can locate and deploy an AED during a cardiac emergency.
Reaction and next steps: Families of Dacia Sanders attended the Senate session and were acknowledged by members. Senate leaders urged the bill’s swift enactment; the sponsor said she hoped for the governor’s signature so “there’ll be no other student who is in cardiac arrest waiting for adults or emergency responders to figure out how to save their life.”
Votes at the Senate: The clerk announced “Ayes, 59” and the measure was passed.
Provenance: Senate floor debate and roll call recorded June 10, 2025. Evidence from remarks by Senator Baskin and the roll call were read into the record.
