4 States Introduce New AED School Laws in Fall 2023

Youth spend the majority of their time at school, as do the teachers and staff who support them daily. Statistics show that 1 in every 25 schools in the US can expect to have a cardiac arrest event on campus every year, underscoring the importance of having the lifesaving therapy readily accessible–Automated External Defibrillators or AEDs. 

SCA is an emergency medical condition where the heart unexpectedly stops beating normally. It requires quick, immediate intervention with CPR and the use of an AED to provide the best chances of survival. While CPR buys time during a cardiac emergency, the only way to restore a person’s heart beat and save their life is with a shock from an AED, which is why it is so important to have quick access to defibrillators in places of community gathering such as schools. 

A study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology shows that the survival rate from SCA in schools with AEDs is approximately 70%, which is 7x higher than the national average of 8-10%. 

So why is it that more states don’t require AEDs on campus and more schools aren’t equipped with this proven technology?

AED School Laws

Despite studies that speak to the lifesaving difference AEDs make and the real need for this therapy on school and college campuses, no federal laws exist that mandate, enforce, or help schools acquire AEDs. Having AEDs on campus, at sporting events, and anywhere that there is an increased risk for cardiac arrest not only protects the hearts of students, but of the adults, parents, spectators, and staff who spend time on campus, too. 

AED legislation is one of the best ways to ensure the safety of individuals while at school. Because schools serve as places of knowledge within the community, they present opportunities to enhance the general public’s awareness of cardiac arrest and teach people to be active participants when it comes to responding to SCA on and off campus. 

The states below are making great strides to start the 2023 school year off right with lifesaving policies and technology to respond successfully in the event of cardiac arrest. 

Indiana’s “Jake’s Law” 

Indian’s Senate Bill 369 took effect on July 1st, and starting this fall (2023) will require schools across the state to ensure AEDs are present at all sporting and extracurricular events. The law also requires emergency action plans, drills and training for students and staff to enhance the likelihood that these AEDs will be used effectively in an emergency. 

Jake West, an Indiana high school football player, died on the field during practice in 2013 after experiencing SCA, and SB 369 is known as “Jake’s Law” in his honor. 

“Provides that school coaches, assistant coaches, marching band leaders, drama and musical leaders, and extracurricular activity leaders may ensure that an operational automated external defibrillator (AED) is present at each event in which students have an increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest (event) for which the individual is providing coaching or leadership.”

–Senate Bill 369 

Alabama’s House Bill 45

Starting with the 2023-2024 school year, Alabama requires all K-12 public and private schools to take a number of preventative measures to lower the risk of sudden cardiac death on campuses. The first initiative requires all coaches and athletic trainers receive and renew their CPR and AED training every two years to increase awareness for how to respond to cardiac emergencies.

Starting with the 2023-2024 school year, Alabama requires all K-12 public and private schools to take a number of preventative measures to lower the risk of sudden cardiac death on campuses. The first initiative requires all coaches and athletic trainers receive and renew their CPR and AED training every two years to increase awareness for how to respond to cardiac emergencies.

Ohio’s House Bill 47

Once passed, Ohio’s House Bill 47 will mandate emergency action plans and AED accessibility in all public and private schools. This legislation builds upon Lindsey’s Law, a 2017 bill that ensured parents and students formally acknowledged the risk factors of Sudden Cardiac Arrest before participating in school sports and other sanctioned activities.

Our friend Jennifer Dunaway is the founder of Ohio Soccer Moms & Dads and the mother of six athletic children. As a huge advocate for AEDs and better emergency response plans in schools and athletic clubs across Ohio, she has helped author Ohio’s House Bill 47. 

Calling your state legislators is one of the best ways to use your voice and advocate for the change you wish to see in statewide policies. To leave a message for your OH state representative, call 1 (800) 282-0253, or search for your representative here. 

Kentucky’s House Bill 331 

If passed, Kentucky House Bill 331 would require every building across middle and high schools in the state to have one readily accessible AED, starting in the 2025-2026 school year. This bill represents a strong bipartisan effort to keep children safe from the threat of cardiac arrest by adequately equipping facilities with AEDs spread across campuses. House Bill 331 also takes into account procedures and training requirements that would support the use and maintenance of these devices. 

The proposed law acknowledges the increased risk of SCA in athletes and during vigorous activity and would require a defibrillator at every school sponsored athletic event, including practices. 

Conclusion

Alabama, Indiana, and soon-to-be Ohio and Kentucky are joining half the states in the country in prioritizing student safety and well being and doing what they can to protect against preventable death.

Schools teach students and their general communities to be engaged members of society. Greater preventative measures to address a leading cause of death in this country should start in the classroom, on the field, and in places that teach civic engagement. Schools present an opportunity to increase awareness for Sudden Cardiac Arrest and address it head on with the proper equipment and educational resources. 

It’s important to do what we can to promote safety in our educational communities. Let’s use research and communal resources to come together and ensure that our next generation is safe and protected while at school. 

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