HB629: HB629 Education; remove requirement of having a licensed physician in automated external defibrillator programs

26 LC 61 0511S The Senate Committee on Education and Youth offered the following substitute to HB 629: A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Part 3 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the O fficial Code of Georgia1 Annotated, relating to student health, so as to remove the requirement of having a licensed2 physician in automated external defibrillator programs; to provide instruction and procedures3 related to bleeding control kits; to provide a definition; to p rovide for contingent4 effectiveness upon appropriation of funds; to amend Code Section 20-2-218 of the Official5 Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to duty-free lunch period and planning period required,6 exemption for extenuating circumstances, and funding, so as to provide that said Code7 section shall not be subject to waiver; to provide for an effec tive date and applicability; to8 provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:10 SECTION 1.11 Part 3 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official C ode of Georgia Annotated,12 relating to student health, is amended by revising Code Section 20-2-775, relating to13 automated external defibrillators required in high schools, req uirements, and funding, as14 follows:15 - 1 - 26 LC 61 0511S "20-2-775.16 (a) As used in this Code section, the term:17 (1) 'Automated external defibrillator' means a defibrillator which:18 (A) Is capable of cardiac rhythm analysis;19 (B) Will charge and be capable of being activated to deliver a countershock after20 electrically detecting the presence of certain cardiac dysrhythmias; and21 (C) Is capable of continuously recording cardiac dysrhythmia a t the scene with a22 mechanism for transfer and storage or for printing for review subsequent to use.23 (2) 'Bleeding control kit' means a kit used to stop or slow bleeding in emergencies that24 is approved by the American College of Surgeons and may be obta ined through the25 Georgia Trauma Commission Bleeding Control Kit Program.26 (2)(3) 'Emergency action plan' means the plan established pursuant t o paragraph (5)27 paragraph (7) of subsection (c) of this Code section to provide for an emergency response28 to a any person in cardiac arrest or experiencing severe bleeding.29 (3)(4) 'Internal response team' means the team of school personnel established pursuant30 to paragraph (7) paragraph (9) of subsection (c) of this Code section responsible for31 oversight of an emergency response to a any person in cardiac arrest or experiencing32 severe bleeding and implementation of the emergency action plan.33 (4)(5) 'School' means a public school in this state which provides K-12 education.34 (b) No later than July 1, 2025, each school in this state shall have at least one functional35 automated external defibrillator on site at such school at all times and easily accessible36 during all school hours and during any school related function, including athletic practices,37 athletic competitions, and other occasions where students and o thers will be present, for38 use during emergencies.39 (c) Each school shall:40 (1) Ensure that each member of the internal response team and any other expected users41 of the automated external defibrillator receive American Heart Association or American42 - 2 - 26 LC 61 0511S Red Cross training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator43 use or complete an equivalent nationally recognized course;44 (2) Ensure that each member of the internal response team and any other expected users45 of the bleeding control kit utilize an instructional or training program established by the46 American College of Surgeons for stopping bleeding and the use of a bleeding control kit;47 (2)(3) Notify the appropriate emergency medical services system of t he existence and48 location of each automated external defibrillator prior to said such automated external49 defibrillator being placed in use;50 (4) Notify the appropriate emergency medical services system o f the existence and51 location of each bleeding control kit prior to such bleeding co ntrol kit being placed in52 use;53 (3)(5) Ensure that the automated external defibrillator is maintained and tested according54 to the manufacturer's operational guidelines;55 (4) Ensure that there is involvement of a licensed physician or other person authorized56 by the Georgia Composite Medical Board in the site's automated external defibrillator57 program to ensure compliance with requirements for training, no tification, and58 maintenance;59 (6) Ensure that the bleeding control kit is maintained and replenished after use;60 (5)(7) Establish a written emergency action plan that adheres to nat ionally recognized61 standards and that establishes specific steps to take during a cardiac emergency62 emergencies in a school setting which involve either cardiac arrest or sev ere bleeding.63 Such plan shall be designed to:64 (A) Provide provide for an effective system for communication between members of65 the internal response team and other school officials, ensuring that the internal response66 team or other designated personnel activate the emergency medical services system as67 soon as reasonably possible after any person renders emergency care or treatment to a68 person in cardiac arrest by using an automated external defibri llator and report any69 - 3 - 26 LC 61 0511S clinical use of the automated external defibrillator to the lic ensed physician or other70 person authorized by the Georgia Composite Medical Board who is supervising the71 program, and ensuring that emergency medical services personnel are led directly to the72 exact location of the person in cardiac arrest; and73 (B) Provide for an effective system for communication between members of the74 internal response team and other school officials, ensuring tha t the internal response75 team or other designated personnel activate the emergency medical services system as76 soon as reasonably possible after any person renders emergency care or treatment to a77 person experiencing severe bleeding by using a bleeding control kit and ensuring that78 emergency medical services personnel are led directly to the ex act location of the79 person experiencing severe bleeding;80 (6)(8) Beginning in the 2025-2026 school year and each school year thereafter, conduct81 a minimum of two emergency action plan practice drills per school year, with at least one82 per semester. One such practice drill may be a tabletop drill to walk through a83 hypothetical scenario and the courses of action a school will need to take before, during,84 and after a any cardiac emergency or severe bleeding emergency. The emergency action85 plan practice drills shall include various locations on school grounds and responses to86 different hypothetical situations;87 (7)(9) Establish a designated internal response team composed of:88 (A) At least five school staff members;89 (B) One or more designated team leads trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and90 automated external defibrillator use, and bleeding control kits , and responsible for91 oversight of an emergency response;92 (C) One or more designated cardiopulmonary resuscitation leads t r a i n e d i n93 cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and automated external defibrillator use, and bleeding94 control kits;95 - 4 - 26 LC 61 0511S (D) One or more designated automated external defibrillator le ads who shall be96 responsible for knowing the location of automated external defi brillators, retrieving97 automated external defibrillators, and maintenance of automated external defibrillators98 and who shall also be responsible for knowing the location of b leeding control kits,99 retrieving bleeding control kits, and maintenance of bleeding control kits; and100 (E) One or more designated communication leads responsible for activating the101 emergency medical services system, facilitating directions to the any person in cardiac102 arrest or experiencing severe bleeding for emergency medical services personnel upon103 arrival at the school, and coordinating communications with the designated team lead104 or leads; and105 (8)(10) Apprise all school personnel of the location of automated external defibrillators,106 bleeding control kits, and the members of the internal response team.107 (d) Subject to appropriations by the General Assembly, the Department of Education shall108 provide funds to local school systems to assist in the purchase of automated external109 defibrillators pursuant to this Code section.110 (e) The department and local systems shall consult as necessary with the Georgia Trauma111 Commission Bleeding Control Kit Program and Regional Trauma Adv isory Committee112 coordinators to obtain bleeding control kits and training to meet the requirements of this113 Code section.114 (e)(f) The department and local school systems shall use diligent efforts to identify private115 sources of funding or donation of funding and equipment for cardiopulmonary resuscitation116 and automated external defibrillator use to meet the requirements of this Code section."117 SECTION 2.118 Code Section 20-2-218 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to duty-free lunch119 period and planning period required, exemption for extenuating circumstances, and funding,120 is amended by adding a new subsection to read as follows:121 - 5 - 26 LC 61 0511S "(h) This Code section shall not be subject to waiver pursuant to Code Section 20-2-82 fora122 strategic waivers school system, Code Section 20-2-2063.2 or 20 -2-2065 for a charter123 system, Code Section 20-2-2065 for a charter school, Code Secti on 20-2-2096.3 for a124 completion special school, or Code Section 20-2-244."125 SECTION 3.126 (a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this sec tion, this Act shall become127 effective on July 1, 2026. 128 (b) Section 1 of this Act shall become effective only if funds are specifically appropriated129 for purposes of this Act in an appropriations Act enacted by the General Assembly. If funds130 are so appropriated, then this Act shall become effective on the later of:131 (1) The date on which such appropriations Act becomes effective; or132 (2) The beginning date of the fiscal year for which such appropriations are made.133 (c) Section 2 of this Act shall apply to all school years beginning with the 2026-2027 school134 year.135 SECTION 4.136 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.137 - 6 -