Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

Georgia House Bill HB629 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	25 LC 46 1150
2	2	House Bill 629
3	3	By: Representatives Hawkins of the 27
4	4	th
5	5	, Cooper of the 45
6	6	th
7	7	, Newton of the 127
8	8	th
9	9	, Greene of
10	10	the 154
11	11	th
12	12	, and Mathiak of the 82
13	13	nd
14	14
15	15	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
16	16	AN ACT
17	17	To amend Part 3 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia
18	18	1
19	19	Annotated, relating to health, so as to remove the requirement of having a licensed physician2
20	20	in automated external defibrillator programs; to provide for related matters; to repeal3
21	21	conflicting laws; and for other purposes.4
22	22	BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:5
23	23	SECTION 1.6
24	24	Part 3 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,7
25	25	relating to health, is amended by revising Code Section 20-2-775, relating to automated8
26	26	external defibrillators required in high schools, requirements, and funding, as follows:9
27	27	"20-2-775.10
28	28	(a) As used in this Code section, the term:11
29	29	(1) 'Automated external defibrillator' means a defibrillator which:12
30	30	(A) Is capable of cardiac rhythm analysis;13
31	31	(B) Will charge and be capable of being activated to deliver a countershock after14
32	32	electrically detecting the presence of certain cardiac dysrhythmias; and15
33	33	H. B. 629
34	34	- 1 - 25 LC 46 1150
35	35	(C) Is capable of continuously recording cardiac dysrhythmia at the scene with a
36	36	16
37	37	mechanism for transfer and storage or for printing for review subsequent to use.17
38	38	(2) 'Emergency action plan' means the plan established pursuant to paragraph (5) of18
39	39	subsection (c) of this Code section to provide for an emergency response to a person in19
40	40	cardiac arrest.20
41	41	(3) 'Internal response team' means the team of school personnel established pursuant to21
42	42	paragraph (7) of subsection (c) of this Code section responsible for oversight of an22
43	43	emergency response to a person in cardiac arrest and implementation of the emergency23
44	44	action plan.24
45	45	(4) 'School' means a public school in this state which provides K-12 education.25
46	46	(b) No later than July 1, 2025, each school in this state shall have at least one functional26
47	47	automated external defibrillator on site at such school at all times and easily accessible27
48	48	during all school hours and during any school related function, including athletic practices,28
49	49	athletic competitions, and other occasions where students and others will be present, for29
50	50	use during emergencies.30
51	51	(c) Each school shall:31
52	52	(1) Ensure that each member of the internal response team and any other expected users32
53	53	of the automated external defibrillator receive American Heart Association or American33
54	54	Red Cross training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator34
55	55	use or complete an equivalent nationally recognized course;35
56	56	(2) Notify the appropriate emergency medical services system of the existence and36
57	57	location of each automated external defibrillator prior to said automated external37
58	58	defibrillator being placed in use;38
59	59	(3) Ensure that the automated external defibrillator is maintained and tested according39
60	60	to the manufacturer's operational guidelines;40
61	61	(4) Ensure that there is involvement of a licensed physician or other person authorized
62	62	41
63	63	by the Georgia Composite Medical Board in the site's automated external defibrillator42
64	64	H. B. 629
65	65	- 2 - 25 LC 46 1150
66	66	program to ensure compliance with requirements for training, notification, and43
67	67	maintenance;44
68	68	(5)(4) Establish a written emergency action plan that adheres to nationally recognized45
69	69	standards and that establishes specific steps to take during a cardiac emergency in a46
70	70	school setting. Such plan shall be designed to provide for an effective system for47
71	71	communication between members of the internal response team and other school48
72	72	officials, ensuring that the internal response team or other designated personnel activate49
73	73	the emergency medical services system as soon as reasonably possible after any person50
74	74	renders emergency care or treatment to a person in cardiac arrest by using an automated51
75	75	external defibrillator and report any clinical use of the automated external defibrillator52
76	76	to the licensed physician or other person authorized by the Georgia Composite Medical53
77	77	Board who is supervising the program, and ensuring that emergency medical services54
78	78	personnel are led directly to the exact location of the person in cardiac arrest;55
79	79	(6)(5) Beginning in the 2025-2026 school year and each school year thereafter, conduct56
80	80	a minimum of two emergency action plan practice drills per school year, with at least one57
81	81	per semester. One such practice drill may be a tabletop drill to walk through a58
82	82	hypothetical scenario and the courses of action a school will need to take before, during,59
83	83	and after a cardiac emergency. The emergency action plan practice drills shall include60
84	84	various locations on school grounds and responses to different hypothetical situations;61
85	85	(7)(6) Establish a designated internal response team composed of:62
86	86	(A) At least five school staff members;63
87	87	(B) One or more designated team leads trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and64
88	88	automated external defibrillator use and responsible for oversight of an emergency65
89	89	response;66
90	90	(C) One or more designated cardiopulmonary resuscitation leads trained in67
91	91	cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator use;68
92	92	H. B. 629
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94	94	(D) One or more designated automated external defibrillator leads, responsible for
95	95	69
96	96	knowing the location of automated external defibrillators, retrieving automated external70
97	97	defibrillators, and maintenance of automated external defibrillators; and71
98	98	(E) One or more designated communication leads responsible for activating the72
99	99	emergency medical services system, facilitating directions to the person in cardiac73
100	100	arrest for emergency medical services personnel upon arrival at the school, and74
101	101	coordinating communications with the designated team lead or leads; and75
102	102	(8)
103	103	(7) Apprise all school personnel of the location of automated external defibrillators76
104	104	and the members of the internal response team.77
105	105	(d) Subject to appropriations by the General Assembly, the Department of Education shall78
106	106	provide funds to local school systems to assist in the purchase of automated external79
107	107	defibrillators pursuant to this Code section.80
108	108	(e) The department and local school systems shall use diligent efforts to identify private81
109	109	sources of funding or donation of funding and equipment to meet the requirements of this82
110	110	Code section."83
111	111	SECTION 2.84
112	112	All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.85
113	113	H. B. 629
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