The Florida Senate
BILL ANALYSIS AND FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT
(This document is based on the provisions contained in the legislation as of the latest date listed below.)
Prepared By: The Professional Staff of the Committee on Rules
BILL: CS/SB 430
INTRODUCER: Education Pre-K - 12 Committee; Senator Simon and others
SUBJECT: Cardiac Emergencies
DATE: April 15, 2025
ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR REFERENCE ACTION
1. Jahnke Bouck ED Fav/CS
2. Gray Elwell AED Favorable
3. Jahnke Yeatman RC Pre-meeting
Please see Section IX. for Additional Information:
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE - Substantial Changes
I. Summary:
CS/SB 430 requires school districts to provide basic training in first aid, including
cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), once during middle school in a physical education or
health class and once during high school in a physical education or health class. The bill also
requires that no later than July 1, 2027, every public school, including charter schools, must have
at least one operational automated external defibrillator (AED) on school grounds. Specifically,
public schools are required to:
• Ensure appropriate school staff are trained in first aid, CPR, and AED use.
• Maintain AEDs according to manufacturer specifications.
• Publicize and clearly mark AED locations.
The bill requires each public school to develop a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP) to
guide school personnel in responding to sudden cardiac arrest or similar emergencies. Schools
must collaborate with local emergency service providers to integrate their CERPs into the
community’s emergency response system.
The bill provides civil liability immunity to school employees and volunteers under the Good
Samaritan Act and the Cardiac Arrest Survival Act. It also clarifies that schools required to
maintain an AED for Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) athletics do not
automatically comply with this act.
REVISED: BILL: CS/SB 430 Page 2
The bill may have an indeterminate negative fiscal impact on local governments. See Section V.
Fiscal Impact Statement.
The bill takes effect on July 1, 2025.
II. Present Situation:
Sudden Cardiac Arrest
Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a significant health risk in school settings, particularly during
vigorous physical activity such as athletic practices and games. Immediate intervention through
cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) is
crucial. Research indicates that individuals experiencing ventricular fibrillation, a common cause
of SCA, have a survival rate of 50 percent or higher when CPR and AED treatment are
administered within three to five minutes of collapse. In 2014 alone, approximately 360,000
cases of sudden cardiac arrest occurred in community settings across the United States, including
schools, highlighting the importance of readily accessible AEDs on school grounds.
1
CPR, First Aid, and AEDs
CPR is an emergency lifesaving procedure performed when the heart stops beating. Immediate
CPR can double or triple the chances of survival after cardiac arrest by keeping the blood flow
active until the arrival of trained medical staff.
2
First aid refers to medical attention that is usually administered immediately on-site after the
injury occurs. It often consists of a one-time, short-term treatment and requires little technology
or training to administer. First aid can include cleaning minor cuts, scrapes, or scratches; treating
a minor burn; applying bandages and dressings; the use of non-prescription medicine; draining
blisters; removing debris from the eyes; massage; and drinking fluids to relieve heat stress.
3
An AED is a lightweight, portable device that delivers an electric shock through the chest to the
heart when it detects an abnormal rhythm and changes the rhythm back to normal. AEDs can
greatly increase a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival. Although formal AED training isn’t
required, it’s recommended to increase the confidence level of the user, promoting better
outcomes.
4
1
American Heart Association, Cardiac Emergency Response Planning for Schools: A Policy Statement (2016), available at
https://cpr.heart.org/-/media/CPR-Files/Training-Programs/Nation-of-Heartsavers/CERP/CERP-for-Schools-Policy-in-
Brief.pdf.
2
American Heart Association Emergency Cardiovascular Care, What is CPR?, available at
https://cpr.heart.org/en/resources/what-is-cpr (last visited Mar. 20, 2025).
3
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, What is First Aid?, available at https://www.osha.gov/medical-first-
aid/recognition (last visited Mar. 20, 2025).
4
American Heart Association, What Is an Automated External Defibrillator?, available at https://www.heart.org/-
/media/files/health-topics/answers-by-heart/what-is-an-aed.pdf (last visited Mar. 20, 2025). BILL: CS/SB 430 Page 3
AEDs on School Grounds
Since 2006, a public school that is a member of the Florida High School Athletic Association
(FHSAA)
5
has been required to have an operational AED on school grounds.
6
In 2020, the
“Zachary Martin Act” required the AED to be in a clearly marked and publicized location for
each athletic contest, practice, workout, or conditioning session, including those conducted
outside of the school year. Public and private partnerships are encouraged to cover the cost
associated with the purchase and placement of the AED and training in the use of the AED
.
Beginning in 2021, a school employee or volunteer with current training in CPR and the use of
an AED must be present at every athletic event during and outside of the school year, including
athletic contests, practices, workouts, and conditioning sessions. The training must include
completion of a course in CPR or a basic first aid course that includes CPR training and
demonstrated proficiency in the use of an AED. Each employee or volunteer who is reasonably
expected to use an AED must complete this training.
The location of the AED must be registered with a local emergency medical services medical
director and each employee or volunteer required to complete the training must be notified
annually in writing of the location of the AED on school grounds. The use of defibrillators by
employees and volunteers is covered under the Good Samaritan Act and the Cardiac Arrest
Survival Act.
7
Athletic coaches employed by a public school, not just schools that are members of the FHSAA,
must hold and maintain certification in CPR, first aid, and the use of an AED. The certification
must be consistent with national evidence-based emergency cardiovascular care guidelines.
8
State Required Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Training
According to the American Heart Association, 40 states and Washington D.C. have passed laws
or adopted curriculum requiring hands-on, guidelines-based CPR training for students to
graduate high school.
9
Florida school districts are encouraged, but not required, to provide basic first aid training,
including CPR, to students in grades six and eight. However, districts must provide this training
to students in grades nine and 11. The training must include CPR and follow a one-hour,
nationally recognized program based on the most current, evidence-based emergency
cardiovascular care guidelines.
5
Section 1006.20, F.S.
6
Ch. 2006-301, Laws of Fla.
7
Section 1006.165(1) F.S.
8
Section 1012.55(2), F.S.
9
CPR and AED Laws, State CPR education requirements for schools, https://www.sca-aware.org/about-sudden-cardiac-
arrest/cpr-and-aed-
laws#:~:text=State%20CPR%20education%20requirements%20for,students%20before%20high%20school%20graduation,
(last visited March 20,2025). BILL: CS/SB 430 Page 4
Instruction must allow students to practice psychomotor skills for performing CPR and using an
AED if the school has the necessary equipment. Additionally, school districts are encouraged to
form public and private partnerships to support training and funding needs.
10
School Wellness Policy
Each school district is required to electronically submit its local school wellness policy to the
Department of Agriculture.
11
The local school wellness policy is a written plan that includes
goals aimed at creating a healthy school environment.
12
As part of the model local school wellness policy, districts are encouraged to integrate wellness
activities across the entire school setting to promote student well-being. One suggested activity
includes a health services component, which must provide a coordinated program of accessible
health services for both students and staff. The program must include, but is not limited to:
• Violence prevention
• School safety
• Communicable disease prevention
• Health screenings, including body mass index (BMI)
• Community health referrals
• Immunizations
• Parenting skills
• First aid and CPR training.
13
III. Effect of Proposed Changes:
This bill amends s. 1003.453, F.S., to require school districts to, instead of encouraging, provide
basic training in first aid, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation, once in middle school in a
physical education or health class and once in high school in a physical education or health class.
The instruction in both the middle and high school courses must:
• Allow students to practice the psychomotor skills associated with performing
cardiopulmonary resuscitation; and
• Include the use of an automated external defibrillator.
The bill creates s. 1003.457, F.S., Cardiac emergencies and automated external defibrillators on
school ground, to require each public school district to 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. School districts are required to work directly with local
emergency service providers to integrate the CERP into the community’s emergency responder
protocols.
10
Section 1003.453(3), F.S.
11
Section 1003.453(1), F.S.
12
Florida Department of Agriculture, Local School Wellness Policies, https://www.fdacs.gov/Food-Nutrition/Nutrition-
Programs/National-School-Lunch-Program/Wellness-Policies. (last visited March 20, 2025).
13
Florida Department of Agriculture, FDACS Model Local School Wellness Policy, available at
https://www.fdacs.gov/content/download/72589/file/ModelLocalSchoolWellnessPolicy3-2020-
f6379e0d1df4485c85ffcc772cb52917.pdf. BILL: CS/SB 430 Page 5
The bill also requires that no later than July 1, 2027, each public school including charter
schools, must have at least one operational automated external defibrillator on school grounds.
The defibrillator must be available in a clearly marked and publicized location. Schools are
required to maintain the defibrillator according to the manufacturer’s recommendations and
maintain all verification records for such defibrillators. Schools are also required to:
• Ensure appropriate school staff are trained in first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and
defibrillator use.
• Register the location of each defibrillator with a local emergency medical services medical
director.
The bill provides that school employees are immune from civil liability under the Good
Samaritan Act
14
and the Cardiac Arrest Survival Act.
15
The bill clarifies that a public school that
is a member of the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) and required to maintain
an operational AED on campus related to athletics does not constitute compliance with this act.
Finally, the bill requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules.
The bill takes effect on July 1, 2025.
IV. Constitutional Issues:
A. Municipality/County Mandates Restrictions:
None.
B. Public Records/Open Meetings Issues:
None.
C. Trust Funds Restrictions:
None.
D. State Tax or Fee Increases:
None.
E. Other Constitutional Issues:
None.
V. Fiscal Impact Statement:
A. Tax/Fee Issues:
None.
14
Section 786.13, F.S.
15
Section 786.1325, F.S. BILL: CS/SB 430 Page 6
B. Private Sector Impact:
None.
C. Government Sector Impact:
Providing training to students and appropriate school staff would pose a fiscal impact to
the districts. The requirement for each public school, including charter schools, to have at
least one operational automated external defibrillator on school grounds would not pose
an immediate impact as this provision is not required until July 1, 2027. Upon the
implementation date, there would be an indeterminate fiscal impact to school districts to
purchase and maintain the automated external defibrillator (AED). Based on a recent
survey by the Florida Association of District School Superintendents, with 38 of 67
school districts responding, many schools in these districts reported having at least one
AED in addition to the AED required for FHSAA member schools.
VI. Technical Deficiencies:
None.
VII. Related Issues:
None.
VIII. Statutes Affected:
The bill substantially amends section 1003.453 of the Florida Statutes.
This bill creates section 1003.457 of the Florida Statutes.
IX. Additional Information:
A. Committee Substitute – Statement of Substantial Changes:
(Summarizing differences between the Committee Substitute and the prior version of the bill.)
CS by Education Pre-K-12 on March 17, 2025:
The committee substitute maintains provisions in SB 430, with modifications. The
committee substitute:
• Removes annual automated external defibrillators (AED) reporting requirements
related to AED use and success.
• Removes the authorization for the Department of Education (DOE) to reimburse
school districts and charter schools for up to 50 percent of the total AED purchase
price.
• Requires appropriate school staff to be trained in first aid, cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR), and AED use.
• Requires the State Board of Education to adopt administrative rules.
BILL: CS/SB 430 Page 7
The committee substitute also adds the following requirements:
• School districts must provide basic training in first aid and CPR in a physical
education or health class once in middle school and once in high school.
• The CPR training must allow students to practice the psychomotor skills associated
with performing CPR and include the use of an AED.
• Public schools must 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 similar life-threatening emergency
while on school grounds. In addition:
o Each CERP must integrate evidence-based core elements.
o School officials must work directly with local emergency service providers to
integrate the CERP into the community’s emergency responder protocols.
B. Amendments:
None.
This Senate Bill Analysis does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill’s introducer or the Florida Senate.