2026 -- H 7027

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LC003169

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PUPILS

     Introduced By: Representatives Noret, Read, McNamara, O'Brien, Biah, Finkelman,
Serpa, Donovan, Messier, and Phillips

     Date Introduced: January 09, 2026

     Referred To: House Education

     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

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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

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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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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PUPILS

***

     This act would expand the requirement that all high schools and middle schools, whether

they are publicly or privately run, to maintain on site functional automated external defibrillators

(AED) while establishing and implementing a cardiac emergency response plan in these schools,

inclusive of athletic activities, beginning in the 2027-2028 academic year.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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