Committee approves adding bleeding-control kits to school AED programs

A legislative committee voted unanimously to advance LC461386 (referred to in the hearing as "6 29"), a bill that adds bleeding-control kits to existing automated external defibrillator (AED) programs in public schools and inserts an appropriations clause to protect future funding.

Supporters told the committee the measure builds on earlier expansions of AEDs into elementary and middle schools. Kyle Gibson, trauma and acute care nurse practitioner and coordinator for the Northeast Georgia Regional Trauma Advisory Committee, said the region has outfitted nearly all public schools with bleed kits and asked that "Stop the Bleed" training be integrated with existing CPR/AED education for school response teams. "We just wanna ensure that stop the bleed training is included with CPR and AED education," Gibson said.

Sponsor comments at the hearing noted the program has been funded largely through the state trauma commission, and the bill’s Section 2 adds appropriations language to ensure continuity if that external funding changes. The sponsor said changes in national health-care funding prompted adding the appropriation language "to safeguard the system." Committee members asked whether removing a physician oversight requirement for training would raise liability concerns; medical witnesses and committee members said modern AEDs and bleed kits are intended for trained nonmedical responders and that CPR instructors can appropriately add the training.

The chair called for a voice vote; the committee approved the bill by voice and the chair announced it had "passed unanimously." The committee did not discuss implementation details such as field-trip coverage, and members said those operational questions and any needed fiscal work would be addressed later.

What comes next: The bill advances from committee; committee discussion indicated further technical and funding details will be worked out in follow-up staff and agency conversations.