PRINTER'S NO. 631
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.620
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY MUTH, KANE, HUGHES, COMITTA, TARTAGLIONE, COSTA,
FONTANA, SAVAL AND HAYWOOD, APRIL 11, 2025
REFERRED TO EDUCATION, APRIL 11, 2025
AN ACT
Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
act relating to the public school system, including certain
provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
laws relating thereto ," in grounds and buildings, providing
for automated external defibrillator placement, inspection,
maintenance and plan; in school health services, further
providing for automatic external defibrillators; and, in
charter schools, further providing for provisions applicable
to charter schools and for a pplicability of other provisions
of this act and of other acts and regulations.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
section to read:
Section 743. Automated External Defibrillator Placement,
Inspection, Maintenance and Plan.--(a) Beginning in the 2025-
2026 school year and each school y ear thereafter, each school
building or facility where children in kindergarten through
grade twelve attend school or participate in school-sponsored
activities shall have at least one automated external
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22 defibrillator system placed in a central location that is
accessible for use. A school entity shall place an automated
external defibrillator:
(1) with appropriate signage in accordance with best
practices and American Heart Association guidelines on the
effective date of this section, including three dimensional
signs and arrows, in plain view, leading to and beside the
automated external defibrillator;
(2) with instructions for the proper use of the automated
external defibrillator at the location of the automated external
defibrillator;
(3) in an accessible location during normal school hours and
any school-sponsored activities;
(4) in compliance with 42 U.S.C. Ch. 126 (relating to equal
opportunity for individuals with disabilities), including
placing the automated external defibrillator not more than
forty-eight (48) inches above the floor or ground; and
(5) in a location that is no more than one thousand (1,000)
feet in distance from a designated member of the cardiac
emergency response team under subsection (d) in the school
entity's protocol for access to the automated external
defibrillator.
(b) For an automated external defibrillator installed before
the effective date of this section, a school entity shall
register the automated external defibrillator within ten days of
the effective date of this section. For an automated external
defibrillator installed after the effective date of this
section, a school entity shall register the automated external
defibrillator immediately upon installation. The school entity
shall register the automated external defibrillator with the
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30 following:
(1) The National AED Registry.
(2) The manufacturer of the automated external
defibrillator.
(3) Local emergency medical services.
(c) A school entity shall develop a schedule to inspect an
automated external defibrillator in each school building or
facility and a standard form for completion as a record of the
inspection. The following shall apply:
(1) The schedule to inspect shall require the cardiac
emergency response plan site coordinator under subsection (e) to
inspect the automated external defibrillator in accordance with
the manufacturer's guidelines and to visually determine if there
is obvious damage indicating that the automated external
defibrillator device or cabinet has been compromised. If the
inspection indicates that the automated external defibrillator
is nonoperational, the cardiac emergency response plan site
coordinator shall immediately do all of the following:
(i) Notify local emergency medical services, the school
building administrator, each cardiac emergency response team
member and the students, parents, teachers and staff located in
the school building or facility where the automated external
defibrillator is located.
(ii) Indicate with appropriate signage at the location of
the automated external defibrillator that the automated external
defibrillator is nonoperational.
(iii) Provide instructions with appropriate signage at the
location of the automated external defibrillator where the
closest operational automated external defibrillator is located.
(iv) Order replacement parts, request a loaner automated
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30 external defibrillator and provide notice of the expected date
of restoration of the automated external defibrillator.
(2) The cardiac emergency response plan site coordinator
shall maintain a record of inspection for an automated external
defibrillator . The cardiac emergency response plan site
coordinator shall make the record of inspection available to the
public at the school entity building or facility where the
automated external defibrillator is located and post the record
of inspection on the school entity's publicly accessible
Internet website. The record of inspection shall include, at a
minimum, the date when maintenance last occurred or will occur
under section 1423(c)(2) and a notation of all of the following
data about the automated external defibrillator:
(i) The d ate of and location of purchase.
(ii) The serial number.
(iii) The warranty expiration date.
(iv) The p ad, including the spare pad.
(v) The pad expiration date.
(vi) Whether the replacement of the pad occurred upon
inspection.
(vii) The b attery expiration date.
(viii) The number of times the automated external
defibrillator was used since the last date of inspection.
(ix) Whether the automated external defibrillator is rescue
ready as indicated per the manufacturer's guidelines.
(x) Any damage observed or repaired during the inspection of
the automated external defibrillator or the automated external
defibrillator's case.
(d) A school entity shall develop a protocol for the use of
an automated external defibrillator by a trained or untrained
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30 individual to address, at a minimum, the limitation of
liability when there is an absence of gross negligence or
willful or wanton misconduct that may arise in connection with a
good faith attempt of use or nonuse of the automated external
defibrillator. The following shall apply:
(1) The protocol shall include, at a minimum, the
development of a cardiac emergency response plan in accordance
with subsection (e) and the designation of a cardiac emergency
response team in each school building or facility where an
automated external defibrillator has been placed.
(2) The certified emergency response team shall be comprised
in accordance with the following:
(i) At least ten per centum (10%) of the school personnel
located in the same school building or facility as an automated
external defibrillator who are certified in cardiopulmonary
resuscitation and the use of an automated external defibrillator
shall be on the certified emergency response team. The members
shall attain and renew their certifications every two years
through the American Health Association, American Red Cross or
an equivalent course of instruction approved by the Department
of Health. The school entity shall document and make available
to the public a record of each member with the date certified,
and renewed if applicable, at the school entity building or
facility where each member is designated. The school entity
shall ensure that an employe certified to use an automated
external defibrillator is located in a school building or
facility when the school building or facility is in use for
educational purposes or school-sponsored activities.
(ii) At least fifteen per centum (15%) of the certified
emergency response team shall be school personnel.
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30 (iii) Any other employe or person the school entity deems
essential to implement the cardiac emergency response plan,
provide insight to defects found in the cardiac emergency
response plan and respond to critical incidents related to
cardiac emergencies.
(e) A school entity shall establish a cardiac emergency
response plan and designate a cardiac emergency response plan
site coordinator. The following shall apply:
(1) The school entity shall establish the cardiac emergency
response plan in accordance with recommendations by the American
Health Association on the effective date of this section and
update the plan as the school entity deems necessary. The school
entity shall provide a copy of the cardiac emergency response
plan to the principal with a signed receipt and post the cardiac
emergency response plan on the school entity's publicly
accessible Internet website.
(2) The cardiac emergency response plan site coordinator
shall assist the school entity with adapting to the school
entity's needs regarding the cardiac emergency response plan,
including a checklist of criteria and procedures. The cardiac
emergency response plan site coordinator shall also have the
following duties:
(i) Annually review the cardiac emergency response plan and
submit the findings of the review to the school entity.
(ii) Designate members of the cardiac emergency response
team in accordance with subsection (d).
(iii) Annually verify the certification of cardiac emergency
response team members and maintain a database of the certified
status of the members in accordance with subsection (d).
(iv) Provide cardiac emergency response team members with
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30 information regarding the availability of courses for obtaining
or maintaining certified status in accordance with subsection
(d).
(v) Plan and schedule a cardiac emergency response drill for
the cardiac emergency response team members at least once during
the school year. The drill for cardiac emergency response team
members shall adhere to the plan and can be scheduled during
instructional or professional development time.
(vi) Prepare and submit to the school entity a summary with
recommendations after each cardiac emergency response drill.
(vii) Perform inspections and reports as required under this
section.
(viii) Maintain records, reports or summary and findings
required under this section.
(f) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a
school entity from placing more than one automated external
defibrillator in a school building or facility.
(g) If a school building or facility is not required to have
an automated external defibrillator and the school entity does
not place an automated external defibrillator on every floor of
the school building or facility, but has at least one automated
external defibrillator centrally located, the school entity
shall ensure that the building, facility or floor without an
automated external defibrillator has clear and visible signage
and directional arrows to the location of the automated external
defibrillator in a separate building, facility or floor.
(h) As used in this section, the following words and phrases
shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection:
"Athletic activity." Any of the following:
(1) Interscholastic athletics as defined in section 1602-A.
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30 (2) An athletic contest or competition, other than
interscholastic athletics, that is sponsored by or associated
with a school entity, including cheerleading, club-sponsored
sports activities or sports activities sponsored by school-
affiliated organizations.
(3) Noncompetitive cheerleading that is sponsored by or
associated with a school entity.
(4) Practices, interschool practices and scrimmages for an
activity listed under clause (1), (2) or (3).
"Automated external defibrillator." As defined in section
1423(l).
"Automated external defibrillator system." An automated
external defibrillator and accessories necessary for the
automated external defibrillator to detect and interpret an
electrocardiogram and deliver an electrical shock, including,
but not limited to, a battery, pad electrode, adapter and
hardware key for pediatric use.
"School building or facility." A building or facility owned
by or under the control of a school entity or, in the case of a
cyber charter school at each location under its jurisdiction,
where classes are taught or extracurricular activities are
conducted on a regular basis.
"School entity." A school district, intermediate unit, area
career and technical school, charter school, cyber charter
school, regional charter school or multiple charter school
organization.
"School-sponsored activity." An assembly, graduation
ceremony, athletic activity, extracurricular activity, club,
group, team or any activity sponsored, held or approved by the
school entity whether held during normal school hours or
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30 otherwise.
Section 2. Section 1423 heading, (a), (b), (c) introductory
paragraph, (1) and (3), (d), (g), (g.1), (g.2), (i), (i.1),
(i.2), (j) and (l) of the act are amended and the section is
amended by adding a subsection to read:
Section 1423. [Automatic] Automated External
Defibrillators.--(a) The department shall establish an
[automatic] automated external defibrillator program to assist
school entities and nonpublic schools in making [ automatic]
automated external defibrillators available in school buildings
or facilities.
(b) On a biennial basis, the department, in consultation
with the Department of General Services and the Department of
Health, shall issue an invitation to bid for the cost of
[automatic] automated external defibrillators and other
equipment and supplies necessary for the proper operation of the
device. The department shall accept the bid of the lowest
responsible bidder and permit any school entity or nonpublic
school to purchase the devices at the contract bid price. The
department may purchase [ automatic] automated external
defibrillators from any funds appropriated pursuant to
subsection (k) and, in the absence of funds appropriated
pursuant to subsection (k), from funds appropriated to the
department for distribution to school entities and nonpublic
schools.
(c) To be eligible to obtain or purchase [ automatic]
automated external defibrillators under the program a school
entity or nonpublic school must:
(1) Assure that [two (2) or more persons ] at least ten per
centum (10%) of the school personnel assigned to the location
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30 where the [automatic] automated external defibrillator will be
primarily housed are trained as required in subsection (d).
* * *
[(3) Submit a valid prescription for the device from a
licensed medical practitioner in this Commonwealth. ]
* * *
(d) School personnel who are expected to use the [ automatic]
automated external defibrillator shall complete training in
cardiopulmonary resuscitation and in the use of an [ automatic]
automated external defibrillator provided by the American Heart
Association, the American Red Cross or through an equivalent
course of instruction approved by the Department of Health.
* * *
(g) From funds appropriated for this purpose , or in the
absence of funds appropriated for this purpose, from funds
appropriated to the department , the department may assist school
entities and nonpublic schools that are not equipped with
[automatic] automated external defibrillators by providing a
discount from the contract bid price obtained under subsection
(b) or by providing [ automatic] automated external
defibrillators obtained under subsection (b).
(g.1) The purchase of an [ automatic] automated external
defibrillator shall be considered an allowable use of
Pennsylvania Accountability Grants under section 2599.2(b).
(g.2) The purchase of [automatic] automated external
defibrillators shall be considered an innovative educational
program under Article XVII-F of the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6,
No.2), known as the "Tax Reform Code of 1971."
* * *
(i) The following shall apply:
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30 (1) Not later than June 30, 2014, and each year thereafter
through the 2024-2025 school year , each school entity shall make
a report to the department detailing the number, condition, age
and placement of [automatic] automated external defibrillators
in each school building. [ After the initial report is made, a
school entity may report this information as part of the annual
report required by the Commonwealth under section 2505.1 to
receive State reimbursement for health services. ]
(2) Within three months of the effective date of this
paragraph, and in each year a school entity removes or obtains
an automated external defibrillator, the school entity shall
make a report on a form developed by the department under
subsection (j.1), to the department detailing the automated
external defibrillators in each school building or facility. The
report shall include the following information:
(i) The serial number.
(ii) The d ate of purchase.
(iii) The d ate of warranty expiration.
(iv) The d ate of battery expiration.
(v) The date of pads expiration.
(vi) The precise location with identifying physical
attribute markers in the vicinity.
(vii) The total number of automated external defibrillators
at the school entity.
(3) Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year and each school
year thereafter, a school entity shall make an annual report to
the department with any date or information deemed necessary by
the department, including the following:
(i) The total number of automated external defibrillators at
the school entity.
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30 (ii) The number of school buildings or facilities of the
school entity that are equipped with automated external
defibrillators.
(iii) The number of school buildings or facilities of the
school entity that are not equipped with automated external
defibrillators and an explanation for noncompliance with section
743.
(iv) The number of school personnel certified to use an
automated external defibrillator by the school entity.
(v) The number of inspections conducted and findings by the
school entity under section 743.
(vi) The expiration date of the warranty provided by the
manufacturer of each automated external defibrillator used by
the school entity.
(vii) The expiration date of each automated external
defibrillator battery and pads.
(viii) The number of times each automated external
defibrillator was used for its intended purpose by the school
entity.
(ix) The precise location of each automated external
defibrillator with identifying physical attribute markers in the
vicinity.
(4) After the initial report to the department is made, a
school entity may report the information required under this
subsection as part of the annual report required by the
Commonwealth to receive State reimbursement for health services
under section 2505.1.
(i.1) A nonpublic school that participates in the
[automatic] automated external defibrillator program under
subsection (b) or (g) shall be subject to the reporting required
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(i.2) The department shall annually publish a report on its
publicly accessible Internet website no later than December 31,
2014, and each year thereafter. The report shall contain the
following information for each school entity and nonpublic
school:
(1) The total number of [ automatic] automated external
defibrillators [by school entity and nonpublic school ].
(2) The number of school buildings [ by school entity and
nonpublic school] and facilities that are equipped with
[automatic] automated external defibrillators.
(3) The number of school buildings [ by school entity and
nonpublic school] and facilities that are not equipped with
[automatic] automated external defibrillators.
(4) The number of school personnel trained to use automated
external defibrillat ors.
(5) The number of inspections conducted and findings
required under section 743.
(6) The expiration date of the warranty provided by the
manufacturer of each automated external defibrillator.
(7) The expiration date of each automated external
defibrillator battery and pads.
(8) The number of times each automated external
defibrillator was used for its intended purpose.
(9) The precise location of each automated external
defibrillator with identifying physical attribute markers in the
vicinity.
(10) Any other information required by the department.
[(j) The department may adopt guidelines as necessary to
administer this section. ]
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30 (j.1) Within six months of the effective date of this
subsection, the department shall develop a standardized form or
use a form developed by the National AED Registry for a school
entity to complete for the purpose of submitting to the
department data and information required under this section,
test schedules, inspections and test findings required under
section 743 for each automated external defibrillator placed in
the school entity's school buildings or facilities and any other
data and information deemed necessary by the department. The
department shall, in consultation with the Department of Health,
adopt guidelines based on best practices and industry standards
relating to automated external d efibrillator use and programs
and any other necessary guidelines to administer this section.
The guidelines shall be posted on the department's publicly
accessible Internet website and shall be provided to a school
entity or nonpublic school on request.
* * *
(l) As used in this section--
["Automatic] "Automated external defibrillator" means a
portable device that uses electric shock to restore a stable
heart rhythm to an individual in cardiac arrest.
"Department" means the Department of Education of the
Commonwealth.
"Nonpublic school" means a nonprofit school, other than a
public school within this Commonwealth, wherein a resident of
this Commonwealth may legally fulfill the compulsory school
attendance requirements of this act and which meets the
applicable requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of
1964 (Public Law 88-352, 78 Stat. 241).
["School building" means a building owned by or under the
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30 control of a school entity or nonpublic school where classes are
taught or extracurricular activities are conducted on a regular
basis.]
"School building or facility " means a building or facility
o wned by or under the control of a school entity or nonpublic
school where classes are taught or school-sponsored activities,
athletic or otherwise, are conducted on a regular basis,
including a field used for organized athletic events or
competitions.
"School-sponsored activity" means an assembly, graduation
ceremony, athletics, extracurricular activity, club, group, team
or any activity sponsored, held or approved by the school entity
or nonpublic school, whether held during normal school hours or
otherwise.
"School entity" means an area career and technical school, a
charter school, a cyber charter school, an intermediate unit or
a school district.
"Secretary" means the Secretary of Education of the
Commonwealth.
Section 3. Section 1732-A(a) of the act is amended to read:
Section 1732-A. Provisions Applicable to Charter Schools.--
(a) Charter schools shall be subject to the following:
Sections 108, 110, 111, 321, 325, 326, 327, 431, 436, 443,
510, 518, 527, 708, 736, 737, 738, 739, 740, 741, 743, 752, 753,
755, 771, 776, 777, 808, 809, 810, 1109, 1111, 1112(a), 1301,
1310, 1317, 1317.1, 1317.2, 1318, 1326, 1327, 1327.2, 1329,
1330, 1332, 1333, 1333.1, 1333.2, 1333.3, 1303-A, 1513, 1517,
1518, 1521, 1523, 1531, 1547, 2014-A, Article XIII-A and Article
XIV.
Act of July 17, 1961 (P.L.776, No.341), known as the
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30 "Pennsylvania Fair Educational Opportunities Act."
Act of July 19, 1965 (P.L.215, No.116), entitled "An act
providing for the use of eye protective devices by persons
engaged in hazardous activities or exposed to known dangers in
schools, colleges and universities."
Section 4 of the act of January 25, 1966 (1965 P.L.1546,
No.541), entitled "An act providing scholarships and providing
funds to secure Federal funds for qualified students of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania who need financial assistance to
attend postsecondary institutions of higher learning, making an
appropriation, and providing for the administration of this
act."
Act of July 12, 1972 (P.L.765, No.181), entitled "An act
relating to drugs and alcohol and their abuse, providing for
projects and programs and grants to educational agencies, other
public or private agencies, institutions or organizations."
Act of December 15, 1986 (P.L.1595, No.175), known as the
"Antihazing Law."
* * *
Section 4. Section 1749-A(a)(1) of the act is amended by
adding a subparagraph to read:
Section 1749-A. Applicability of other provisions of this act
and of other acts and regulations.
(a) General requirements.--Cyber charter schools shall be
subject to the following:
(1) The following:
* * *
(xiv.1) Section 743.
* * *
Section 5. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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