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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3097 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 572
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Carole A. Fiola
_________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automatic external defibrillator education
in public schools.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Carole A. Fiola6th Bristol1/16/2025Patrick Joseph Kearney4th Plymouth1/17/2025 1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3097 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 572
By Representative Fiola of Fall River, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 572) of
Carole A. Fiola and Patrick Joseph Kearney relative to cardiopulmonary resuscitation and
automatic external defibrillator education in public schools. Education.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act relative to cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automatic external defibrillator education
in public schools.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Chapter 69 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting a new
2section:
3 Section 1U. Subject to appropriation and in accordance with Chapter 70, the department
4shall establish a health education grant program. The department shall make rules
5 (a) creating a grant program to assist a school district with the implementation of this
6section; and;
7 (b) establishing the criteria for the grant program, including:
8 (i) an application format;
9 (ii) relevant timelines and deadlines
10 (iii) a scoring rubric, including criteria to determine a grant award amount; 2 of 3
11 (iv) allowable uses of a grant award; and
12 (v) any relevant data to evaluate the program that the department determines is necessary
13 The health education grant program shall include instruction for cardiopulmonary
14resuscitation and the use of automatic external defibrillators. Instruction in hands only
15cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of automatic external defibrillators must be the most
16current national evidence-based Emergency Cardiovascular Care guidelines and incorporate
17psychomotor skills development into the instruction. “Psychomotor skills” is defined as the use
18of hands-on practicing and skills testing to support cognitive learning. A licensed teacher shall
19not be required to be a certified trainer of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, to facilitate, provide or
20oversee such instruction for non-certification. Courses which result in a certification being
21earned are required to be taught by an authorized CPR/AED instructor.
22 SECTION 2. The first paragraph of section 1 of chapter 71 of the General Laws, as
23appearing in the 2024 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the sixth sentence and
24inserting in place thereof the following sentences:-
25 All public high school students shall be required to study and to demonstrate a general
26knowledge of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of automatic external defibrillators as a
27prerequisite for graduation. The instruction must be based on an instructional program
28established by the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross or another program
29which is nationally recognized and uses the most current national evidence-based Emergency
30Cardiovascular Care guidelines and incorporates psychomotor skills development into the
31instruction. Psychomotor skills” is defined as the use of hands-on practicing and skills testing to
32support cognitive learning. A licensed teacher shall not be required to be a certified trainer of 3 of 3
33cardiopulmonary resuscitation, to facilitate, provide or oversee such instruction for non-
34certification. Courses which result in a certification being earned are required to be taught by an
35authorized CPR/AED instructor.