An Act To Amend Title 14 Relating To Interscholastic Athletics.
Summary
HB71 amends Delaware Title 14 to strengthen health and emergency-response requirements for interscholastic athletics, with a focus on sudden cardiac arrest. It directs the State Board of Education to adopt regulations requiring school-appointed head coaches to hold current CPR certification that includes AED training, and it expands that requirement to all coaches in secondary and middle school athletics. The bill also requires schools with athletic programs to create and rehearse venue-specific athletic Emergency Action Plans for cardiac arrest and other life-threatening emergencies.
The bill further requires AEDs to be clearly marked, unlocked, and readily accessible at school athletic venues and events, maintained according to manufacturer guidelines, and reported to the Office of Emergency Medical Services with information about the device and its location. In practical terms, the measure creates a statewide framework for preparedness, training, equipment access, and notification for school sports programs, and it applies to schools participating in interscholastic athletics under the Board’s regulations.
Impact
HB71 changes the regulatory duties of the Delaware State Board of Education under Title 14, Section 303, by adding specific minimum standards for coach certification, emergency planning, AED placement, maintenance, and reporting. It affects public and member schools with middle school and secondary athletic programs, as well as coaches, athletic departments, and emergency medical oversight agencies. The bill does not itself create a new standalone enforcement scheme, but it requires the Board to adopt regulations that implement these safety requirements across school athletics.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad bipartisan support and little visible opposition. It passed the House 40-0 and the Senate 20-0, indicating unanimous support in both chambers. The absence of committee transcript debate in the provided record also suggests the measure was viewed as a straightforward student-safety and emergency-preparedness bill.
Contention
No major points of contention are evident in the available record. The main policy choices embedded in the bill are the scope of training requirements for coaches, the requirement that AEDs be unlocked and accessible at athletic venues, and the obligation to develop and rehearse emergency action plans. If any concerns existed, they are not reflected in the voting record or transcripts provided, and the unanimous votes suggest those issues were not politically divisive.