Willmott (HB 542) Act No. 517
New law requires the governing authorities of public schools enrolling students in grades
nine through 12, including charter schools, to provide instruction on cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR) and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED). Requires
integrating instruction into the curriculum of an existing course that is required for
graduation and requires the instruction to include the following:
(1)An instructional program either developed by the American Heart Assoc. (AHA) or
American Red Cross (ARC) or nationally recognized and based on the most current
national evidence-based emergency cardiovascular care guidelines.
(2)Hands-on training for students relative to the psychomotor skills necessary to
perform CPR. Exempts virtual school students from hands-on training.
New law authorizes public school governing authorities to partner with emergency medical
technicians, paramedics, physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, police officers, deputy
sheriffs, nurse practitioners, athletic trainers, firefighters, and anyone included in the existing
law (R.S. 40:1299.41) definition of "health care provider", each of whom shall be certified
in CPR and currently licensed, certified, or commissioned according to his respective
occupation in order to participate, as well as representatives of the AHA or ARC or other
similarly qualified individuals. Authorizes instructors to apply instructional hours toward
fulfilling professional community service requirements, if applicable.
New law provides that a classroom teacher is not required to be a certified trainer of CPR to
facilitate, provide, or oversee this instruction. Prohibits the instruction from resulting in the
certification of students in CPR or the use of an AED. Should a school governing authority
provide, separate and apart from the instruction required by new law, a training program
intended to result in such certification, requires that the instructor be authorized to provide
instruction for certification by the AHA, ARC, or a similar nationally recognized association.
Further requires a school governing authority to obtain parental consent prior to the
certification of students under 18.
New law provides that the physical presence of an AED in the classroom is not required and
that the instruction need only provide general information on the use and importance of
AEDs. Requires public school governing authorities to adopt rules and regulations necessary
for new law implementation and to comply with any surveys or reporting that the State Board
of Elementary and Secondary Education or the state Dept. of Education requires in order to
determine compliance with new law.
Effective Aug. 1, 2014.
(Adds R.S. 17:81(X) and 3996(B)(34))