Fiscal impact reports (FIRs) are prepared by the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) for standing finance
committees of the Legislature. LFC does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of these reports if they
are used for other purposes.
F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T
SPONSOR Campos
LAST UPDATED
ORIGINAL DATE 03/04/2025
SHORT TITLE Rural School Defibrillator Training
BILL
NUMBER Senate Bill 494
ANALYST Chilton
APPROPRIATION*
(dollars in thousands)
FY25 FY26
Recurring or
Nonrecurring
Fund
Affected
$150.0 Recurring
Government Results
and Opportunity Fund
Parentheses ( ) indicate expenditure decreases.
*Amounts reflect most recent analysis of this legislation.
Relates to House Bill 54
Sources of Information
LFC Files
Agency Analysis Received From
Department of Health (DOH) Regional Education Cooperatives (RECA) Agency Analysis was Solicited but Not Received From
Public Education Department (PED) Because of the short timeframe between the introduction of this bill and its first hearing, LFC has yet to receive analysis from state, education, or judicial agencies. This analysis could be updated
if that analysis is received.
SUMMARY
Synopsis of Senate Bill 494
Senate Bill 494 (SB494), Rural School Defibrillator Training, appropriates $150 thousand from
the government and opportunity program fund to the Public Education Department for the
purpose of contracting with a national organization that produces guidelines for cardiopulmonary
resuscitation and emergency cardiac care to train school personnel in the use of a defibrillator.
This bill does not contain an effective date and, as a result, would go into effect 90 days after the
Legislature adjourns if enacted, or June 20, 2025.
Senate Bill 494 – Page 2
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
The appropriation of $150 thousand contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the
government results and opportunity fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining
at the end of FY26 shall revert to the general fund. It is scored as recurring because one-time
training would not suffice for personnel who might use the training very infrequently or who
would be replaced by untrained persons.
SIGNIFICANT ISSUES
Much publicity has surrounded cases of sudden cardiac death during sports, including in high
school sports, but acute cardiac events do not occur solely during sports. In schools, not only
students are at risk of sudden cardiac events, but also school personnel and visitors. Thus, both
having a defibrillator (also called an automated external defibrillator or AED) and having
someone trained to use one when necessary may save lives. This bill would provide the training,
which would need to be ongoing. To be effective, a defibrillator would need to be on site, which
is not provided through this bill.
DOH gives details of the importance of defibrillators and their use:
Training individuals in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of on-site
automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) is critical, as rapid response to sudden cardiac
arrest significantly improves survival outcomes. The presence of an AED ensures
immediate access to defibrillation, which is crucial since survival rates decrease by
approximately 10 percent for every minute without intervention. (American Heart
Association)
1
The American Heart Association recommends AEDs be available in public spaces,
including schools, where large groups gather. Research indicates that the chances of
surviving cardiac arrest drop by about 7 percent-10 percent for every minute
defibrillation is delayed. Additionally, the average Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
response time in the United States is approximately 7 minutes, with response times in
rural areas often exceeding 14 minutes. In nearly 10 percent of cases, the waiting time for
EMS personnel can approach 30 minutes. Delays in emergency response have been
linked to worse health outcomes, particularly in cases of cardiopulmonary arrest, severe
bleeding, and airway obstruction.
2,3
AEDs are designed to be user-friendly, providing step-by-step voice instructions to guide
users through the process. As a result, training is generally easy to complete, allowing
nonmedical personnel to effectively operate the device in an emergency. The availability
of AEDs and trained personnel can provide reassurance to parents and the broader
community, particularly in areas where immediate medical assistance may not be readily
available.
1
https://cpr.heart.org/-/media/CPR-Files/Training-Programs/AED-Implementation/2023- updates/AED-fact-sheet-
Feb-2023.pdf
2
https://corp.publicschoolworks.com/resource/why-aeds-are-a-must-have-inschools-a-superintendents-guide
3
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/fullarticle/2643992 Senate Bill 494 – Page 3
In New Mexico, more than 309 thousand students are enrolled in public schools, with
approximately 110 thousand attending schools in the three largest urban districts—
Albuquerque Public Schools, Las Cruces Public Schools, and Santa Fe Public Schools.
4
This leaves roughly one-third of students, along with an equivalent proportion of school
personnel, in rural areas where access to AEDs and associated training may be more
limited. Given longer EMS response times in rural communities, having AEDs on-site
and ensuring staff are trained in their use can be especially important in providing timely
intervention for sudden cardiac arrest.
In recent years ,there have been concerns from school districts related to limited liability
protection for entities when implementing these programs within schools. Good
Samaritan liability protections extend to individuals, while schools and districts ensure
liability coverage by participated with the CARA program at DOH.
CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP
SB494 partially duplicates House Bill 54, Defibrillators in Every High School, which would
require a defibrillator in every high school and training in their use for high school personnel.
OTHER SUBSTANT IVE ISSUES
Defibrillators differ from one another. Training in the use of one defibrillator may only partially
apply to use of another.
LAC/rl/hg
4
https://webnew.ped.state.nm.us/bureaus/information-technology/stars/