HB 441 2024
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to cardiac and medical emergencies on 2
school grounds; providing a short title; creating s. 3
1003.457, F.S.; requiring each public school to have 4
at least one automated external defibrillator on 5
school grounds; providing requirements for such 6
defibrillators; encouraging public schools to have a 7
sufficient number of defibrillators on sc hool grounds, 8
as determined by the Department of Education, to allow 9
a person to retrieve one within a specified timeframe; 10
encouraging each public school to establish public and 11
private partnerships and seek gifts, grants, and other 12
donations for specifie d purposes; encouraging each 13
charter school and private school to have at least one 14
defibrillator on school grounds and to comply with 15
specified requirements; authorizing such schools to 16
utilize specified state contracts; requiring such 17
schools to be provided with certain protocols and 18
plans; providing immunity from liability for school 19
employees and students under the Good Samaritan Act 20
and the Cardiac Arrest Survival Act; requiring the 21
Department of Education to enter into statewide 22
contracts for specifie d purposes; requiring the 23
Commissioner of Education, at his or her sole 24
discretion, to create and disseminate specified 25
HB 441 2024
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
protocols and plans relating to the use of 26
defibrillators in schools; requiring the State Board 27
of Education to adopt rules; providing a n effective 28
date. 29
30
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 31
32
Section 1. This act may be cited as the "HeartCharged 33
Act." 34
Section 2. Section 1003.457, Florida Statutes, is created 35
to read: 36
1003.457 Automated external defibrill ators on school 37
grounds.— 38
(1)(a) In addition to the requirements of s. 1006.165, 39
each public school must have at least one operational automated 40
external defibrillator on school grounds. Each defibrillator 41
must be stored in a location that is easily acce ssible to anyone 42
at any time during the school day and any other time students 43
are on school grounds, including outside of the school year. 44
Such defibrillator may not be placed in the school's athletic 45
facilities. Each defibrillator must have appropriate 46
accompanying signage, including, but not limited to, signage at 47
the defibrillator's exact location directing responders to the 48
building or room where the defibrillator is routinely kept. Each 49
defibrillator and all of its components must be maintained 50
HB 441 2024
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
according to the manufacturer's instructions and kept in proper 51
working order. Each school is encouraged to have or work towards 52
acquiring and placing a sufficient number of defibrillators on 53
school grounds, as determined by the Department of Education, to 54
allow a person to retrieve a defibrillator within 3 minutes 55
after a cardiac or medical emergency in which the use of a 56
defibrillator is needed anywhere on school grounds. Each school 57
is encouraged to establish public and private partnerships and 58
seek grants, gifts, and other donations to cover the costs 59
associated with the purchase, placement, and training in the use 60
of a defibrillator. 61
(b) Each charter school and private school is encouraged 62
to have at least one operational defibrillator on school grounds 63
and to meet the requirements of paragraph (a). A charter or 64
private school that elects to comply with this section may 65
utilize the statewide contracts under subsection (3) and will be 66
provided with all protocols for the deployment and 67
administration of defibr illators in schools as disseminated 68
pursuant to subsection (4). 69
(2) The use of defibrillators or cardiopulmonary 70
resuscitation by school employees or students is covered under 71
ss. 768.13 and 768.1325. 72
(3) The Department of Education shall enter into st atewide 73
contracts for defibrillators, pursuant to the updated 74
technologies and conveniences of available defibrillators on the 75
HB 441 2024
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
market, to provide statewide discounts to schools and school 76
districts. 77
(4) The Commissioner of Education, at his or her sole 78
discretion, shall create and disseminate all of the following: 79
(a) The protocols for the deployment and administration of 80
defibrillators in schools. 81
(b) A comprehensive emergency action plan for the use of a 82
defibrillator. 83
(c) An education plan, which must include annual training 84
for school employees and students in the use of a defibrillator. 85
(5) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to 86
administer this section, including those necessary for the 87
protocols and plans created and disseminated u nder subsection 88
(4). 89
Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024. 90