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Senate hears bill to require school cardiac emergency plans and AED access
Summary
Senator Ballard introduced LB 463 to require cardiac emergency response plans, staff training, and AEDs in schools; he cited Project ADAM data on deployments and response times and said funding details will be addressed on select file.
Senator Ballard introduced LB 463 to require Nebraska school districts to develop cardiac emergency response plans, ensure staff training, and provide access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs).
Ballard said survival from sudden cardiac arrest depends on rapid defibrillation and that school-based AED programs save lives. He cited Nebraska data from Project ADAM showing roughly 278 schools designated as heart-safe and reported deployments (21 emergency events from May 2024–December 2025, with 62 events involving students). Ballard said average on-site response times were approximately two minutes and that AED availability at schools bridges critical minutes before EMS arrival—particularly in rural communities with longer EMS response times.
Senator Kaut raised a concern about a statutory requirement versus making AED programs voluntary; Ballard said he would work on funding and statutory language on select file. Senator Spivey asked about the Medicaid excess cash fund as a funding source; Ballard replied the fund currently lacks money and that he is working on alternate funding sources via an amendment on select file.
The bill was introduced and will continue through committee and select-file processes where funding and mandate details will be worked out.
