EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
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*hb0593*
HOUSE BILL 593
J1 (5lr0647)
ENROLLED BILL
— Ways and Means/Education, Energy, and the Environment —
Introduced by Delegates Boafo, Holmes, and Taylor
Read and Examined by Proofreaders:
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
Sealed with the Great Seal and presented to the Governor, for his approval this
_______ day of _______________ at ________________________ o’clock, ________M.
______________________________________________
Speaker.
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Public Libraries – Automated External Defibrillator Program 2
(Raymono A. Russell Act) 3
FOR the purpose of requiring operators of certain libraries, beginning on a certain date, to 4
place an automated external defibrillator in a certain area, maintain the 5
functionality of the automated external defibrillator, and ensure a trained individual 6
is present under certain circumstances comply with the Public Access Automated 7
External Defibrillator Program; granting certain immunities to libraries and 8
individuals for certain acts or omissions under certain circumstances; altering the 9
definition of “facility” for the purpose of excluding certain libraries from the Public 10
Access Automated External Defibrillator Program; requiring the Maryland 11
Department of Health and the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services 12
Systems jointly to adopt certain regulations; and generally relating to an automated 13
external defibrillator program for libraries. 14
2 HOUSE BILL 593
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 1
Article – Education 2
Section 13–517(a) 3
Annotated Code of Maryland 4
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 5
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 6
Article – Education 7
Section 13–517(a)(1) and (2) 8
Annotated Code of Maryland 9
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 10
BY adding to 11
Article – Education 12
Section 23–102.2 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 15
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 16
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 17
Article – Education 18
13–517. 19
(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 20
(2) “Automated external defibrillator (AED)” means a medical heart 21
monitor and defibrillator device that: 22
(i) Is cleared for market by the federal Food and Drug 23
Administration; 24
(ii) Recognizes the presence or absence of ventricular fibrillation or 25
rapid ventricular tachycardia; 26
(iii) Determines, without intervention by an operator, whether 27
defibrillation should be performed; 28
(iv) On determining that defibrillation should be performed, 29
automatically charges; and 30
(v) 1. Requires operator intervention to deliver the electrical 31
impulse; or 32
2. Automatically continues with delivery of electrical impulse. 33
HOUSE BILL 593 3
13–517. 1
(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 2
(2) “Automated external defibrillator (AED)” means a medical heart 3
monitor and defibrillator device that: 4
(i) Is cleared for market by the federal Food and Drug 5
Administration; 6
(ii) Recognizes the presence or absence of ventricular fibrillation or 7
rapid ventricular tachycardia; 8
(iii) Determines, without intervention by an operator, whether 9
defibrillation should be performed; 10
(iv) On determining that defibrillation should be performed, 11
automatically charges; and 12
(v) 1. Requires operator intervention to deliver the electrical 13
impulse; or 14
2. Automatically continues with delivery of electrical 15
impulse. 16
(3) “Certificate” means a certificate issued by the EMS Board to a 17
registered facility. 18
(4) (i) “Facility” means an agency, an association, a corporation, a firm, 19
a partnership, or any other entity. 20
(ii) “Facility” does not include [a]: 21
1. A grocery store or restaurant that is subject to § 22
21–330.3 of the Health – General Article; OR 23
2. A LIBRARY THAT IS SUBJ ECT TO § 23–102.2 OF THIS 24
ARTICLE. 25
(5) “Jurisdictional emergency medical services operational program” 26
means the institution, agency, corporation, or other entity that has been approved by the 27
EMS Board to provide oversight of emergency medical services for each of the local 28
government and State and federal emergency medical services programs. 29
(6) “Program” means the Public Access Automated External Defibrillator 30
Program. 31 4 HOUSE BILL 593
(7) “Regional administrator” means the individual employed by the 1
Institute as regional administrator in each EMS region. 2
(8) “Regional council” means an EMS advisory body as created by the Code 3
of Maryland Regulations 30.05. 4
(9) “Regional council AED committee” means a committee appointed by the 5
regional council consisting of: 6
(i) The regional medical director; 7
(ii) The regional administrator; and 8
(iii) Three or more individuals with knowledge of and expertise in 9
AEDs. 10
(10) “Registered facility” means an organization, a business association, an 11
agency, or any other entity that meets the requirements of the EMS Board for registering 12
with the Program. 13
23–102.2. 14
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 15
INDICATED. 16
(2) “AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DE FIBRILLATOR (AED)” MEANS A HAS 17
THE MEANING STATED I N § 13–517 OF THIS ARTICLE. MEDICAL HEART MONITO R AND 18
DEFIBRILLATOR DEVICE THAT: 19
(I) IS CLEARED FOR MARKET BY THE FEDERAL FOOD AND 20
DRUG ADMINISTRATION ; 21
(II) RECOGNIZES THE PRESEN CE OR ABSENCE OF 22
VENTRICULAR FIBRILLA TION OR RAPID VENTRI CULAR TACHYCARDIA ; 23
(III) DETERMINES, WITHOUT INTERVENTION BY AN OPERATOR , 24
WHETHER DEFIBRILLATI ON SHOULD BE PERFORM ED; 25
(IV) ON DETERMINING THAT D EFIBRILLATION SHOULD BE 26
PERFORMED , AUTOMATICALLY CHARGE S; AND 27
(V) 1. REQUIRES OPERATOR INT ERVENTION TO DELIVER 28
THE ELECTRICAL IMP ULSE; OR 29
HOUSE BILL 593 5
2. AUTOMATICALLY CONTINU ES WITH DELIVERY OF THE 1
ELECTRICAL IMPULSE . 2
(3) (I) “LIBRARY” INCLUDES: 3
1. THE STATE LIBRARY RESOURCE CENTER; 4
2. A REGIONAL RESOURCE CE NTER; 5
3. A CORRECTIONAL FACILIT Y LIBRARY; 6
4. A COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM AND T HE ENOCH PRATT 7
FREE LIBRARY IN BALTIMORE; 8
5. THE MARYLAND STATE LIBRARY FOR THE BLIND 9
AND PRINT DISABLED; 10
6. THE MARYLAND DEAF CULTURE DIGITAL LIBRARY; 11
AND 12
7. A METROPOLITAN COOPERA TIVE SERVICE PROGRAM 13
MEANS: 14
1. EACH BRANCH OF A COUNTY L IBRARY SYSTEM ; OR 15
2. THE ENOCH PRATT FREE LIBRARY. 16
(II) “LIBRARY” DOES NOT INCLUDE A: 17
1. A SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA PROGRAM ESTABLISHED 18
BY A LOCAL SCHOOL SY STEM; OR 19
2. A MOBILE LIBRARY UNIT ; OR 20
3. A CORRECTIONAL FACILITY LIBRARY. 21
(B) BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 2026, EACH OPERATOR OF A EACH LIBRARY 22
SHALL: 23
(1) PLACE AN AUTOMATED EX TERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR IN A 24
PROMINENT AREA , ACCESSIBLE TO EMPLOY EES AND LIBRARY USER S; 25
(2) COMPLY WITH § 13–517 OF THIS ARTICLE; AND 26
6 HOUSE BILL 593
(2) (3) MAINTAIN THE FUNCTION ALITY OF THE AUTOMAT ED 1
EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLAT OR; AND 2
(3) ENSURE THAT AN INDIVI DUAL TRAINED IN THE OPERATION OF 3
THE AUTOMATED EXTERN AL DEFIBRILLATOR IS PRESENT AT ANY TIME DURING 4
WHICH THE LIBRARY IS OPEN TO USE. 5
(C) IN ADDITION TO ANY OTHE R IMMUNITIES AVAILAB LE UNDER 6
STATUTORY OR COMMON LAW: 7
(1) A LIBRARY IS NOT CIVIL LY LIABLE FOR ANY AC T OR OMISSION IN 8
THE PROVISION OF AUT OMATED EXTERNAL DEFI BRILLATION IF THE LI BRARY HAS 9
SATISFIED THE REQUIR EMENTS UNDER THIS SE CTION; 10
(2) AN INDIVIDUAL IS NOT CIVILLY LIABLE FOR A NY ACT OR 11
OMISSION IF: 12
(I) THE INDIVIDUAL IS ACT ING IN GOOD FAITH WH ILE 13
RENDERING AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLAT ION TO ANOTHER INDIV IDUAL 14
WHO IS THE VICTIM OR IS REASONABLY BELIEV ED BY THE INDIVIDUAL TO BE A 15
VICTIM OF A SUDDEN C ARDIAC ARREST ; 16
(II) THE ASSISTANCE OR AID IS PROVIDED IN A REA SONABLY 17
PRUDENT MANNER ; AND 18
(III) THE AUTOMATED EXTERNA L DEFIBRILLATION IS PROVIDED 19
WITHOUT FEE OR OTHER COMPENSATION ; AND 20
(3) A LIBRARY OR INDIVIDUA L IS NOT CIVILLY LIABLE FOR F AILING 21
TO RENDER AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLAT ION TO AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS A 22
VICTIM OR IS REASONA BLY BELIEVED TO BE A VICTIM OF A SUDDEN C ARDIAC 23
ARREST. 24
(D) THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND THE MARYLAND 25
INSTITUTE FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES SYSTEMS JOINTLY SHALL ADOPT 26
REGULATIONS THAT : 27
(1) ESTABLISH GUIDELINES FOR PERIODIC INSPECT IONS AND 28
ANNUAL MAINTENANCE O F THE AUTOMATED EXTE RNAL DEFIBRILLATORS ; 29
(2) ASSIST THE OPERATOR O F A LIBRARY IN CARRY ING OUT THE 30
PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION; AND 31
HOUSE BILL 593 7
(3) REQUIRE EACH LIBRARY SUBJECT TO THIS SECT ION TO REGISTER 1
WITH THE MARYLAND INSTITUTE FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES SYSTEMS 2
IN ORDER TO: 3
(I) MAKE ITS LOCATION PUB LICLY AVAILABLE TO E MERGENCY 4
DISPATCHERS ; AND 5
(II) RECEIVE MAINTENANCE AND RECALL NOTICES FROM THE 6
MARYLAND INSTITUTE FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES SYSTEMS. 7
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That, on or before December 1, 8
2026, the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems shall report to the 9
Senate Committee on Education, Energy, and the Environment and the House Economic 10
Matters Ways and Means Committee, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government 11
Article, on: 12
(1) the libraries that registered automated external defibrillators in 13
accordance with regulations adopted under § 23–102.2 of the Education Article, as enacted 14
by Section 1 of this Act; and 15
(2) the number of adverse cardiac events that required the use of an 16
automated external defibrillator experienced in the libraries that registered the automated 17
external defibrillators. 18
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 19
October 1, 2025. 20
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.