Chapter 037
2026 -- S 2079
Enacted 06/10/2026

A N   A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PUPILS

Introduced By: Senators Tikoian, Ciccone, Gallo, McKenney, Paolino, Bissaillon, DiPalma, Murray, Patalano, and LaMountain

Date Introduced: January 16, 2026

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
     SECTION 1. Section 16-21-33.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-21 entitled "Health
and Safety of Pupils" is hereby amended to read as follows:
     16-21-33.1. Automatic external defibrillators Automated external defibrillators,
cardiac emergency response plans, and athletic emergency action plans.
     (a) Legislative findings:
     (1) Approximately three hundred twenty-five thousand (325,000) Americans suffer sudden
cardiac arrest (“SCA”) each year and more than ninety-five percent (95%) of them die before
reaching the hospital;
     (2) In the population of Rhode Island, an estimated one thousand (1,000) residents will die
of cardiac arrest every year;
     (3) No official statistics have been gathered about SCA in children, however experts
estimate about three hundred (300) deaths because of SCA every year for people under the age of
twenty-one (21) or about one tenth of one percent (.001%);
     (4) This means that at least one person under the age of twenty-one (21) years, most likely
a student, will die due to athletics related SCA every year in Rhode Island;
     (5) If defibrillation is performed within five (5) to seven (7) minutes, chances of survival
are increased by forty-nine percent (49%). Every minute that goes by without defibrillation reduces
the chance of survival by seven percent (7%) to ten percent (10%);
     (6) Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are extremely accurate computerized devices
that can be operated by the average person;
     (7) AEDs are inexpensive and grants for AEDs are mostly given to nonprofit organizations,
such as schools; and
     (8) AEDs can be acquired through grants from various organizations or through
government agencies.
     (1) More than three hundred fifty-six thousand (356,000) sudden cardiac arrests occur
outside of a hospital each year in the United States. About ten percent (10%) of people survive.
     (2) It is estimated that there are more than twenty-three thousand (23,000) children under
the age of eighteen (18) who experience sudden cardiac arrest outside of a hospital each year in the
United States. Almost forty percent (40%) of these events are sports related.
     (3) In schools with automated external defibrillators (AEDs), approximately seventy
percent (70%) of children survive sudden cardiac arrest, seven (7) times the overall survival rate
for children.
     (4) The safety of students, school staff, visitors, and spectators can be enhanced with a
coordinated, practiced response plan where teams are trained and empowered to administer
lifesaving care until emergency medical services (EMS) arrive on scene.
     (5) When sudden cardiac arrest occurs outside of a hospital, survival more than doubles
when people nearby take action by dialing 911, starting CPR, and using a publicly available AED
compared to waiting for emergency responders to arrive.
     (b) Definitions: As used in this section, the following words shall have the following
meanings:
     (1) “Athletic emergency action plan (EAP)” means written guidelines and templates for
documentation of emergency planning to help prepare individuals for a catastrophic injury situation
within sports.
     (2) “Automated external defibrillator (AED)” means a lightweight, portable device that
delivers an electric shock through the chest to the heart. The shock can potentially stop an irregular
heartbeat (arrhythmia) and allow a normal rhythm to resume following sudden cardiac arrest.
     (3) “Cardiac emergency response plan (CERP)” means a written document that establishes
the specific steps to reduce death from cardiac arrest in any setting, be it a school, community
organization, workplace, or sports facility.
     (4) “Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA)” means when the heart malfunctions and stops beating
unexpectedly. If not treated within minutes, it quickly leads to death.
     (b)(c) All high schools and middle schools, whether they are public or privately run, shall
provide and maintain on-site functional automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in quantities and
types, deemed by the commissioner of education, in consultation with the director of health,
accordance with guidelines set by the American Heart Association or an organization focused on
emergency cardiovascular care, and as outlined in subsections (d) and (e) of this section, to be
adequate to ensure ready and appropriate access for use during emergencies. Whenever school
facilities are used for school-sponsored or school-approved curricular or extracurricular activities,
and whenever a school-sponsored athletic contest is held at any location, the school officials and
administrators responsible for such school facility or athletic contest shall ensure the presence of at
least one person who is properly trained in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the operation
and use of an AED. Such training may be conducted by qualified personnel, including, but not
limited to, municipal fire and police department employees.
     (d) Establishing cardiac emergency response plans in schools.
     (1) Beginning in the 2027-2028 school year, each high school and middle school shall
develop a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP) that addresses the appropriate use of school
personnel to respond to incidents involving an individual experiencing sudden cardiac arrest or a
similar life-threatening emergency while on school grounds.
     (2) Each CERP shall integrate evidence-based core elements, such as those recommended
by American Heart Association guidelines or nationally-recognized, evidence-based standards
focused on emergency cardiovascular care.
     (3) Appropriate AED placement shall be determined by the CERP in accordance with
guidelines set by the American Heart Association or an organization focused on emergency
cardiovascular care. AEDs shall be identified with appropriate signage and made available in an
unlocked location on school property. AEDs shall be tested and maintained according to the
manufacturer's operational guidelines. Notification shall be provided to the appropriate emergency
medical services provider regarding the AED, the type acquired, and its location.
     (4) Appropriate school staff shall be trained in first aid, CPR, and AED use. Training shall
be consistent with national evidence-based emergency cardiovascular care guidelines. Staff trained
shall be determined by the CERP including, but not limited to, licensed coaches, school nurses, and
athletic trainers.
     (e) Establishing athletic emergency action plans (EAPs) for high school and middle school
athletic venues and events.
     (1) Beginning in the 2027-2028 school year, each high school and middle school with an
athletic department or organized athletic program shall develop an athletic emergency action plan
(EAP) to respond to incidents of sudden cardiac arrest or a similar life-threatening emergency
during a school athletic practice or event. The EAP shall follow nationally-recognized
recommendations and be venue-specific, posted, widely distributed, and rehearsed annually.
     (2) An AED shall be clearly marked and easily accessible in an unlocked location at each
school athletic venue during any school-sponsored athletic event or team practice in which students
of the school are participating. AEDs shall be tested and maintained according to the manufacturer's
operational guidelines. Notification shall be provided to the appropriate emergency medical
services provider regarding the AED, the type acquired, and its location.
     (3) All high school and middle school coaches shall obtain and maintain training in first
aid, CPR, and AED use. Certification in CPR and AED use shall be consistent with national
evidence-based emergency cardiovascular care guidelines.
     (f) Implementation.
     (1) The commissioner of education, in collaboration with the director of the department of
health, may adopt rules and regulations to implement this section.
     (2) The commissioner of education, in collaboration with the director of the department of
health, shall establish a process to monitor compliance with this section.
     (3) A local education agency may accept gifts, grants, and donations, including in-kind
donations designated for the purchase of an AED that meets the standards established by the United
States Food and Drug Administration and for the costs incurred to inspect and maintain such device
and train staff in the use of such device.
     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC003168
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