The proposed bill, Substitute Bill No. 1350, aims to enhance the availability of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in public schools and mandates the development of cardiac emergency response plans. The Department of Education is tasked with establishing a grant program by January 1, 2026, to provide financial assistance to local and regional boards of education for the implementation of these plans. This includes covering costs related to the purchase and maintenance of AEDs, as well as training for their use. Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to boards of education in designated priority schools. Additionally, the Department is required to provide detailed information about the grant program on its website.

To support this initiative, the bill appropriates $521,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Education for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and introduces new sections to the general statutes regarding the grant program and its funding. There are no deletions from current law noted in the text of the bill.