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The House Committee on Education offers the following substitute to SB 148:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to1
elementary and secondary education, so as to provide for an outdoor learning spaces pilot2
program; to provide for a pilot program evaluation and report; to remove the requirement of3
having a licensed physician in automated external defibrillator programs; to increase from4
three to five the number of accumulated sick leave days teachers and other school personnel5
may take each school year for personal or professional reasons; to provide for related6
matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.7
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:8
SECTION 1.9
Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elementary and10
secondary education, is amended in Article 11, relating to public school property and11
facilities, by adding a new part to read as follows:12
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"Part 413
20-2-590.14
(a) The Department of Education is authorized to establish a pilot program, beginning in15
the 2025-2026 school year, to provide for the development and study of outdoor learning16
spaces on elementary and secondary school property. The purpose of the pilot program17
shall be to determine whether and how to implement best practices and design standards18
for outdoor learning spaces.19
(b) The Department of Education is authorized to select elementary or secondary schools20
with sufficient existing or potential outdoor learning spaces for participation in the pilot21
program as pilot schools. Private, nonprofit, and local school system funding may be22
utilized by such pilot schools for community engagement, school grounds design support,23
and capital construction costs. The local board of education for each pilot school shall24
agree to implement a program to incorporate outdoor learning spaces into the existing25
curriculum and to continue to provide such program for a period no shorter than three26
years.27
(c) The Department of Education shall provide for an evaluation regarding the success and28
impact of the pilot program upon completion of the third year of the pilot program and29
shall report the results of such evaluation to the House Committee on Education and the30
Senate Education and Youth Committee."31
SECTION 2.32
Said chapter is further amended by revising Code Section 20-2-775, relating to automated33
external defibrillators required in high schools, requirements, and funding, as follows:34
"20-2-775.35
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:36
(1) 'Automated external defibrillator' means a defibrillator which:37
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(A) Is capable of cardiac rhythm analysis;38
(B) Will charge and be capable of being activated to deliver a countershock after39
electrically detecting the presence of certain cardiac dysrhythmias; and40
(C) Is capable of continuously recording cardiac dysrhythmia at the scene with a41
mechanism for transfer and storage or for printing for review subsequent to use.42
(2) 'Emergency action plan' means the plan established pursuant to paragraph (5) of43
subsection (c) of this Code section to provide for an emergency response to a person in44
cardiac arrest.45
(3) 'Internal response team' means the team of school personnel established pursuant to46
paragraph (7)(6) of subsection (c) of this Code section responsible for oversight of an47
emergency response to a person in cardiac arrest and implementation of the emergency48
action plan.49
(4) 'School' means a public school in this state which provides K-12 education.50
(b) No later than July 1, 2025, each school in this state shall have at least one functional51
automated external defibrillator on site at such school at all times and easily accessible52
during all school hours and during any school related function, including athletic practices,53
athletic competitions, and other occasions where students and others will be present, for54
use during emergencies.55
(c) Each school shall:56
(1) Ensure that each member of the internal response team and any other expected users57
of the automated external defibrillator receive American Heart Association or American58
Red Cross training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator59
use or complete an equivalent nationally recognized course;60
(2) Notify the appropriate emergency medical services system of the existence and61
location of each automated external defibrillator prior to said automated external62
defibrillator being placed in use;63
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(3) Ensure that the automated external defibrillator is maintained and tested according64
to the manufacturer's operational guidelines;65
(4) Ensure that there is involvement of a licensed physician or other person authorized66
by the Georgia Composite Medical Board in the site's automated external defibrillator67
program to ensure compliance with requirements for training, notification, and68
maintenance;69
(5)(4) Establish a written emergency action plan that adheres to nationally recognized70
standards and that establishes specific steps to take during a cardiac emergency in a71
school setting. Such plan shall be designed to provide for an effective system for72
communication between members of the internal response team and other school73
officials, ensuring that the internal response team or other designated personnel activate74
the emergency medical services system as soon as reasonably possible after any person75
renders emergency care or treatment to a person in cardiac arrest by using an automated76
external defibrillator and report any clinical use of the automated external defibrillator77
to the licensed physician or other person authorized by the Georgia Composite Medical78
Board who is supervising the program, and ensuring that emergency medical services79
personnel are led directly to the exact location of the person in cardiac arrest;80
(6)(5) Beginning in the 2025-2026 school year and each school year thereafter, conduct81
a minimum of two emergency action plan practice drills per school year, with at least one82
per semester. One such practice drill may be a tabletop drill to walk through a83
hypothetical scenario and the courses of action a school will need to take before, during,84
and after a cardiac emergency. The emergency action plan practice drills shall include85
various locations on school grounds and responses to different hypothetical situations;86
(7)(6) Establish a designated internal response team composed of:87
(A) At least five school staff members;88
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(B) One or more designated team leads trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and89
automated external defibrillator use and responsible for oversight of an emergency90
response;91
(C) One or more designated cardiopulmonary resuscitation leads trained in92
cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator use;93
(D) One or more designated automated external defibrillator leads, responsible for94
knowing the location of automated external defibrillators, retrieving automated external95
defibrillators, and maintenance of automated external defibrillators; and96
(E) One or more designated communication leads responsible for activating the97
emergency medical services system, facilitating directions to the person in cardiac98
arrest for emergency medical services personnel upon arrival at the school, and99
coordinating communications with the designated team lead or leads; and100
(8)(7) Apprise all school personnel of the location of automated external defibrillators101
and the members of the internal response team.102
(d) Subject to appropriations by the General Assembly, the Department of Education shall103
provide funds to local school systems to assist in the purchase of automated external104
defibrillators pursuant to this Code section.105
(e) The department and local school systems shall use diligent efforts to identify private106
sources of funding or donation of funding and equipment to meet the requirements of this107
Code section."108
SECTION 3.109
Said chapter is further amended by revising Code Section 20-2-851, relating to use of110
accumulated sick leave for personal or professional reasons, as follows:111
"20-2-851.112
During any school year, personnel may utilize up to a maximum of three five days of any113
accumulated sick leave for the purpose of absenting themselves from their duties for114
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personal or professional reasons if prior approval of their absence is given by the local115
school superintendent or his or her authorized representative; provided, however, that the116
absence is not in conflict with a local board of education policy concerning school days on117
which the presence of the personnel requesting absence is essential for effective school118
operation. No grant of approval for an absence permitted under this Code section shall be119
conditioned upon disclosure of the specific purpose for which such absence is sought, nor120
shall any such grant of approval be withheld or denied because of the failure or refusal of121
personnel to disclose the specific purpose for which such an absence is sought; provided,122
however, that personnel may be requested to state whether the absence is sought under the123
category of 'personal' or 'professional' absence."124
SECTION 4.125
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.126
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