North Carolina 2025-2026 Regular Session

North Carolina Senate Bill S278 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
2	2		SESSION 2025
3		-	S 1
4		-	SENATE BILL 278
	3	+	S D
	4	+	SENATE BILL DRS35126-NHa-62
	5	+
5	6
6	7
7	8		Short Title: The Smart Heart Act. (Public)
8	9		Sponsors: Senators Corbin and Hanig (Primary Sponsors).
9		-	Referred to: ~~Rules and Operations of the Senate~~
10		-	~~March 13, 2025~~
11		-	~~S278 -v-1~~
	10	+	Referred to:
	11	+
	12	+	DRS35126 -NHa-62
12	13		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
13	14		AN ACT TO REQUIRE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO DEVELOP CARDIAC EMERGENCY 2
14	15		RESPONSE PLANS AND TO REQUIRE THE PLACEMENT OF ONE AUTOMATIC 3
15	16		EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR (AED) IN EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL. 4
16	17		The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 5
17	18		SECTION 1. Article 25A of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by 6
18	19		adding a new section to read: 7
19	20		"§ 115C-375.25. Cardiac emergency response plans. 8
20	21		(a) The governing body of each public school unit shall develop a cardiac emergency 9
21	22		response plan (CERP) that addresses the appropriate use of school personnel to respond to 10
22	23		incidents involving individuals experiencing sudden cardiac arrest or a similar life-threatening 11
23	24		emergency while on school grounds. The CERP shall integrate evidence-based core elements, 12
24	25		such as those recommended by the American Heart Association or nationally recognized 13
25	26		recommendations or core elements. At a minimum, the CERP shall contain the following core 14
26	27		elements: 15
27	28		(1) Establish a cardiac emergency response team. 16
28	29		(2) Describe how the response team will be activated in response to a cardiac 17
29	30		emergency. 18
30	31		(3) Identify the school staff that will receive annual training on cardiopulmonary 19
31	32		resuscitation (CPR) and use of Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs). At 20
32	33		a minimum, school nurses and any faculty with supervisory responsibility 21
33	34		over students in any athletic situation shall be included in this training. 22
34	35		(4) Annual practice drills for the response team. 23
35	36		(5) Integrating local emergency service providers with the plan. 24
36	37		(b) The CERP shall be reviewed and updated annually. 25
37	38		(c) School officials shall work directly with local emergency service providers to 26
38	39		integrate the CERP into the community's EMS responder protocols. 27
39	40		(d) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules for the installation, use, and 28
40	41		maintenance of AEDs in public school units. At a minimum, the rules shall include provisions 29
41	42		for the following: 30
42	43		(1) Installation and placement of at least one AED in each school in a public 31
43	44		school unit. 32
44	45		(2) Appropriate AED placement shall be determined from guidelines set by the 33
45	46		American Heart Association or an organization focused on emergency 34
46		-	cardiovascular care but, at a minimum, shall be identified with appropriate 35 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
47		-	Page 2 Senate Bill 278-First Edition
	47	+	cardiovascular care but, at a minimum, shall be identified with appropriate 35
	48	+	FILED SENATE
	49	+	Mar 12, 2025
	50	+	S.B. 278
	51	+	PRINCIPAL CLERK General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
	52	+	Page 2 DRS35126-NHa-62
48	53		signage, be in an unlocked location, and able to be placed on a victim within 1
49	54		three minutes. 2
50	55		(3) Implementation of an appropriate training course for public school personnel 3
51	56		in the use of AEDs, including the role of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) 4
52	57		and first aid. 5
53	58		(4) Proper maintenance and testing of the AEDs. 6
54	59		(5) Coordination with appropriate licensed professionals in the oversight of 7
55	60		training on the AEDs." 8
56	61		SECTION 2.(a) G.S. 115C-47 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read: 9
57	62		"(70) Cardiac emergency response plan (CERP). – Local boards of education shall 10
58	63		adopt a CERP, including the installation, maintenance, and use of automatic 11
59	64		external defibrillators in accordance with G.S. 115C-375.25." 12
60	65		SECTION 2.(b) G.S. 115C-150.12C is amended by adding a new subdivision to 13
61	66		read: 14
62	67		"(37) Cardiac emergency response plan (CERP). – The board of trustees shall adopt 15
63	68		a CERP, including the installation, maintenance, and use of automatic external 16
64	69		defibrillators in accordance with G.S. 115C-375.25." 17
65	70		SECTION 2.(c) G.S. 115C-218.75 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 18
66	71		"(p) Cardiac emergency response plan (CERP). – Charter schools shall adopt a CERP, 19
67	72		including the installation, maintenance, and use of automatic external defibrillators in accordance 20
68	73		with G.S. 115C-375.25." 21
69	74		SECTION 2.(d) G.S. 115C-238.66 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read: 22
70	75		"(23) Cardiac emergency response plan (CERP). – Regional schools shall adopt a 23
71	76		CERP, including the installation, maintenance, and use of automatic external 24
72	77		defibrillators in accordance with G.S. 115C-375.25." 25
73	78		SECTION 2.(e) G.S. 116-11 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read: 26
74	79		"(15) Cardiac emergency response plan (CERP). – The Board of Governors shall 27
75	80		adopt a CERP, including the installation, maintenance, and use of automatic 28
76	81		external defibrillators in accordance with G.S. 115C-375.25, for any public 29
77	82		secondary schools under the Board's jurisdiction." 30
78	83		SECTION 3. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of 31
79	84		Public Instruction the sum of two million dollars ($2,000,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 32
80	85		2025-2026 fiscal year to be allocated by the Superintendent of Public Instruction to the governing 33
81	86		body of each public school unit to support the schools in purchasing AEDs, developing cardiac 34
82	87		emergency response plans as required under G.S. 115C-375.25, as enacted by this act, and 35
83	88		developing emergency action plans under G.S. 115C-407.58. 36
84	89		SECTION 4. This act becomes effective July 1, 2025, and applies beginning with 37
85	90		the 2025-2026 school year. 38