--- title: SR 684. American Heart Month; recognize February 2026 collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr684 cite_as: SR 684, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr684 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr684.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr684/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72736 date: 2026-02-24 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr683.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr685.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 463 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr684.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 684 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-02-24 last_action: Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute sponsors: - Sonya Halpern - Kim Jackson - Elena Parent - Clint Dixon - Randal Mangham - Nikki Merritt - Marty Harbin - Chuck Hufstetler - Drew Echols - Chuck Payne - Gail Davenport - Sally Harrell - Ben Watson - Kay Kirkpatrick text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR684/2025 upstream_id: 2104375 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - American Heart Month - CPR training - cardiac arrest awareness - public health - AED access --- # SR 684. American Heart Month; recognize February 2026 ## Text Senate Resolution 684 By: Senators Halpern of the 39th, Jackson of the 41st, Parent of the 44th, Dixon of the 45th, Mangham of the 55th and others ADOPTED SENATE A RESOLUTION Recognizing February 2026 as American Heart Month; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death worldwide, and each year more than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of hospitals in the United States, with approximately 10 percent of people surviving; and WHEREAS, about 70 percent of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur at home, meaning that people nearby!often family members!are the first and most critical link in the chain of survival; and WHEREAS, immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can double or even triple a person's chance of survival, yet only about 41 percent of people who experience cardiac arrest receive immediate CPR from someone nearby, and fewer than 12 percent receive aid from an automated external defibrillator (AED) before advanced help arrives; and WHEREAS, for adults and teens, Hands-Only CPR, calling 911, and pushing hard and fast in the center of the chest can double or triple the chance of survival, while infants and children require CPR with rescue breaths to restore oxygen and circulation; and WHEREAS, each year more than 23,000 children experience cardiac arrest outside of the hospital, with almost 40 percent related to sports and nearly 20 percent occurring among infants; cardiac arrest accounts for 10 to 15 percent of sudden unexpected infant deaths; and WHEREAS, studies show that women are less likely than men to receive CPR before advanced help arrives due to fear of causing harm, perceived legal risk, or discomfort about physical contact-factors that must be addressed through education and awareness; and WHEREAS, the American Heart Association has set a bold goal to double survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest by 2030 through its "Nation of Lifesavers" initiative, empowering people everywhere to confidently perform CPR and use AEDs; and WHEREAS, straightforward, community-based solutions such as CPR and AED education, public access to defibrillators, and cardiac emergency response plans (CERPs) in schools, workplaces, and public spaces can save lives and strengthen community readiness. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body recognize February 2026 as American Heart Month at the state capitol and encourage all residents to learn CPR, promote awareness of cardiac arrest and emergency response, and join the effort to build a "Nation of Lifesavers," ensuring that every person, everywhere, is prepared to act in a cardiac emergency. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the public and the press. ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary. A Georgia Senate resolution recognizes February 2026 as American Heart Month and encourages residents to learn CPR and support cardiac emergency preparedness in schools, workplaces, and public spaces. ### Plain-language summary This resolution from the Georgia Senate designates February 2026 as American Heart Month at the state capitol. It does not change any Georgia law; instead it lays out statistics about cardiac arrest, including that most out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen at home and that immediate CPR can double or triple a person's chance of survival, and it encourages Georgians to learn CPR and support the American Heart Association's 'Nation of Lifesavers' initiative. The resolution asks the Secretary of the Senate to make copies available to the public and the press. It carries no funding, penalties, or binding requirements; it is a formal statement of the Senate's position meant to raise public awareness about cardiac arrest response, CPR training, and access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs). ### What it does - Formally recognizes February 2026 as American Heart Month at the Georgia state capitol. - Encourages Georgia residents to learn CPR and support the American Heart Association's 'Nation of Lifesavers' initiative. - Directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute copies of the resolution to the public and press. - Creates no new legal requirements, funding, or penalties, since it is a resolution rather than a law. ### Who it affects Georgia residents generally, especially families, since most cardiac arrests happen at home; also schools, workplaces, and public venues encouraged to adopt cardiac emergency response plans and CPR or AED training. ### Why it matters While the resolution changes no law, it publicly highlights survival statistics for cardiac arrest and promotes CPR training and AED access, which could raise awareness and encourage more Georgians to learn lifesaving skills or push for emergency response plans in local institutions. ### Key provisions - The resolving clause recognizes February 2026 as American Heart Month at the state capitol and encourages residents to learn CPR and emergency response. - The resolution encourages Georgians to join the American Heart Association's 'Nation of Lifesavers' effort to double cardiac arrest survival by 2030. - A final clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to make copies available for public and press distribution. - The whereas clauses cite statistics on cardiac arrest survival rates, CPR usage, and disparities in CPR administration between men and women, providing the resolution's rationale but no operative rules. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-02-24) - Last action: Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (2026-02-24) - Sponsors: Sonya Halpern, Kim Jackson, Elena Parent, Clint Dixon, Randal Mangham, Nikki Merritt, Marty Harbin, Chuck Hufstetler, Drew Echols, Chuck Payne, Gail Davenport, Sally Harrell, Ben Watson, Kay Kirkpatrick - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72736 > The history, votes, and amendments (463 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr684.md?full=1