The John Wesley Foster Act mandates that the governing bodies of all public and nonpublic schools in Alabama develop and implement a cardiac emergency response plan by the 2025-2026 school year. This plan must address the appropriate use of personnel to respond to incidents of sudden cardiac arrest and other life-threatening emergencies occurring on school property, particularly during athletic activities. The act outlines specific requirements for the cardiac emergency response plan, including recommendations from recognized entities, the establishment of a response team, ongoing staff training in CPR and AED use, and procedures for activation and evaluation of the plan.

Additionally, the act authorizes the State Board of Education to adopt rules to monitor compliance with these requirements. The legislation emphasizes collaboration with local emergency services to ensure the integration of the cardiac emergency response plan into community emergency medical protocols. The act will take effect on October 1, 2024, and includes no deletions from current law.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 16-30D-2
Engrossed: 16-30D-2
Enrolled: 16-30D-2