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1 S.280
2 Introduced by Senators Lyons and Gulick
3 Referred to Committee on
4 Date:
5 Subject: Education; health and safety; cardiac emergency response plan
6 Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require school
7 districts and independent schools to develop cardiac emergency response
8 plans.
9 An act relating to cardiac emergency response plans in schools
10 It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
11 Sec. 1. 16 V.S.A. § 1433 is added to read:
12 § 1433. ACUTE CARDIAC EVENTS IN SCHOOLS
13 (a) Definitions. As used in this section:
14 (1) “Automated external defibrillator (AED)” has the same meaning as
15 in 18 V.S.A. § 907(a)(1).
16 (2) “Cardiac emergency response plan” means a written document that
17 establishes the specific steps to reduce death from cardiac arrest in any setting,
18 including a school, community organization, workplace, or sports facility.
19 (3) “High-needs schools” means a public or independent school where
20 at least 50 percent of students are eligible to receive free and reduced-price VT LEG #372575 v.1
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1 meals under a federal food program, as defined in subdivision 1261a(1) of this
2 title, or the school participates in the Community Eligibility Provision under 7
3 C.F.R. § 245.9(f) or Universal Free Meals. High-needs schools may also be
4 defined by the school’s status under Title 1 of the Elementary and Secondary
5 Education Act, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act, 20 U.S.C. §
6 6301 et seq.
7 (4) “Sudden cardiac arrest” means the sudden loss of all heart activity
8 due to an irregular heart rhythm, which if not treated within minutes can
9 quickly lead to death.
10 (b) Establishment of a cardiac emergency response plan.
11 (1) Each school district and independent school shall develop a cardiac
12 emergency response plan that addresses the appropriate use of school
13 personnel to respond to incidents involving an individual experiencing sudden
14 cardiac arrest or a similar life-threatening emergency while on school grounds.
15 (2) Each school district and approved independent school with an
16 athletic department or organized athletic program shall develop a cardiac
17 emergency response plan that addresses the appropriate use of school
18 personnel to respond to incidents involving an individual experiencing sudden
19 cardiac arrest or a similar life-threatening emergency while attending or
20 participating in an athletic practice or event while on school grounds.
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1 (3) School officials shall work directly with local emergency service
2 providers to integrate the cardiac emergency response plan into the
3 community’s emergency medical service responder protocols. Each plan shall
4 integrate evidence-based core elements, such as those recommended by the
5 American Heart Association guidelines or another nationally recognized,
6 evidence-based standard.
7 (c) Plan requirements. The cardiac emergency response plan shall include,
8 at a minimum, policies on:
9 (1) establishment of a cardiac emergency response team;
10 (2) guidelines for when a team is activated in response to a sudden
11 cardiac event;
12 (3) implementation of AED placement and routine maintenance within
13 the school;
14 (4) dissemination of the plan throughout the school campus;
15 (5) maintaining ongoing staff training in CPR and AED use;
16 (6) practice drills;
17 (7) integrating local EMS with the plan; and
18 (8) ongoing and annual review and evaluation of the plan.
19 (d) AED placement. Appropriate AED placement shall be dictated by the
20 cardiac emergency response plan and in accordance with guidelines set by the
21 American Heart Association.
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1 (e) Training. Appropriate school staff shall be trained in first-aid, CPR,
2 and AED use that follow evidence-based guidelines set forth by the American
3 Heart Association. Staff trained shall be determined by the cardiac emergency
4 response plan, including licensed coaches, school nurses, and athletic trainers.
5 Sec. 2. IMPLEMENTATION
6 School districts and independent schools shall have a cardiac emergency
7 response plan developed and ready for implementation beginning in the 2024–
8 2025 school year.
9 Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE
10 This act shall take effect on July 1, 2024.
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