HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3097        FILED ON: 1/16/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Carole A. Fiola

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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:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3097        FILED ON: 1/16/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

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:
 

SECTION 1. Chapter 69 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting a new section:

Section 1U. Subject to appropriation and in accordance with Chapter 70, the department shall establish a health education grant program. The department shall make rules

(a) creating a grant program to assist a school district with the implementation of this section; and; 

(b) establishing the criteria for the grant program, including:

(i) an application format; 

(ii) relevant timelines and deadlines

(iii) a scoring rubric, including criteria to determine a grant award amount; 

(iv) allowable uses of a grant award; and 

(v) any relevant data to evaluate the program that the department determines is necessary 

The health education grant program shall include instruction for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of automatic external defibrillators. Instruction in hands only cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of automatic external defibrillators must be the most current national evidence-based Emergency Cardiovascular Care guidelines and incorporate psychomotor skills development into the instruction. “Psychomotor skills” is defined as the use of hands-on practicing and skills testing to support cognitive learning. A licensed teacher shall not be required to be a certified trainer of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, to facilitate, provide or oversee such instruction for non-certification. Courses which result in a certification being earned are required to be taught by an authorized CPR/AED instructor.

SECTION 2. The first paragraph of section 1 of chapter 71 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2024 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the sixth sentence and inserting in place thereof the following sentences:-

All public high school students shall be required to study and to demonstrate a general knowledge of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of automatic external defibrillators as a prerequisite for graduation. The instruction must be based on an instructional program established by the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross or another program which is nationally recognized and uses the most current national evidence-based Emergency Cardiovascular Care guidelines and incorporates psychomotor skills development into the instruction. Psychomotor skills” is defined as the use of hands-on practicing and skills testing to support cognitive learning. A licensed teacher shall not be required to be a certified trainer of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, to facilitate, provide or oversee such instruction for non-certification. Courses which result in a certification being earned are required to be taught by an authorized CPR/AED instructor.