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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session
public high schools; AEDs; requirements
Purpose
Requires, beginning August 1, 2025, each public school that provides instruction to students in grades 9 through 12 and sponsors an athletic team or sports program to purchase, provide, maintain and keep an automated external defibrillator (AED).
Background
An AED is
a medical device heart monitor and defibrillator that: 1) is approved for
premarket modification by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; 2) is capable
of recognizing the presence or absence of ventricular fibrillation or rapid
ventricular tachycardia; 3) is capable of determining, without intervention by
an operator, if defibrillation should be performed; and
4) automatically charges and delivers an electrical impulse to a person's heart
when the AED determines that defibrillation should be performed. Defibrillation
is the administration of a controlled electrical charge to the heart to restore
a viable cardiac rhythm (A.R.S.
§ 36-2261).
A person or entity that acquires an AED must: 1) enter into an agreement with a physician to oversee the aspects of public access to defibrillation; 2) require each trained user who uses an AED on a person in cardiac arrest to call 911 as soon as possible; 3) submit a written report to the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services and Trauma Systems in the Department of Health Services within five working days after the AED's use; and 4) ensure that the AED is maintained in good working order and tested according to the manufacturer's guidelines. A person is exempt from the outlined requirements if the person obtains an AED for home use pursuant to a physician's prescription or is employed as a firefighter, emergency medical care technician or ambulance attendant (A.R.S. §§ 36-2262 and 36-2264).
Any state building that is constructed or that undergoes a major renovation at a cost of at least $250,000 must be equipped with AEDs. Each fiscal year, the Joint Legislative Budget Committee and the Governor's Office of Strategic Planning and Budgeting must include funding for such placement of AEDs in capital budgets for new state buildings (A.R.S. § 34-401).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires, beginning August 1, 2025, each public school that provides instruction to students in grades 9 through 12 and sponsors an athletic team or sports program to provide an AED at each school campus and school-sponsored event.
2. Requires, beginning August 1, 2025, each public school that provides instruction to students in grades 9 through 12 and sponsors an athletic team or sports program to ensure that each AED provided is:
a) in an unlocked location that is accessible during the day and at each venue where any school-sponsored athletic event, including a practice or competition, is held;
b) in a location from which the AED may be promptly retrieved and used at the school or school-sponsored activity; and
c) maintained in good working order and tested according the to the manufacturer's guidelines.
3. Allows a school district or charter school to accept gifts, grants, donations and in-kind donations to purchase and maintain an AED.
4. Defines AED and school-sponsored athletic event.
5. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 17, 2025
MH/SDR/ci