CS/HB 1607, titled "Cardiac Emergencies," expands Florida school requirements for responding to sudden cardiac arrest and other life-threatening emergencies. The bill changes existing law so that school districts must, rather than merely may, provide basic first aid and CPR training to students in specified grades. It also requires that instruction include hands-on practice of CPR skills and use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) when equipment is available, using a one-hour nationally recognized program based on current evidence-based emergency cardiovascular care guidelines.
The bill creates a new section of law requiring each public school to develop a Plan for Urgent Life-Saving Emergencies (PULSE). That plan must address how school personnel respond to cardiac emergencies, be aligned with evidence-based core elements, and be coordinated with local emergency service providers and responder protocols. By July 1, 2027, every public school, including charter schools, must have at least one operational AED on campus in a clearly marked and publicized location, maintain it according to manufacturer recommendations, train appropriate staff in first aid, CPR, and AED use, and register AED locations with local EMS medical directors. The bill also provides liability protections for school employees and volunteers under existing Good Samaritan and Cardiac Arrest Survival Act provisions, and directs the State Board of Education to adopt implementing rules.
In practical terms, the bill affects school districts, charter schools, school staff, students, and local emergency medical services. It adds new compliance duties for schools, including equipment acquisition, maintenance, staff training, emergency planning, and recordkeeping, while also clarifying that existing AED compliance under another statute does not by itself satisfy the new requirement. The act takes effect July 1, 2025, with the AED mandate phased in by July 1, 2027.
The overall sentiment around the bill appears strongly favorable and noncontroversial. It advanced through multiple House committees and both chambers with unanimous votes, indicating broad bipartisan support for improving school emergency preparedness and student safety. The lack of recorded opposition suggests the measure was viewed as a public-safety and health initiative rather than a partisan issue.
No major points of contention are reflected in the available committee or floor history. The only likely practical concerns are implementation-related: the cost of purchasing and maintaining AEDs, training staff, and coordinating emergency protocols with local responders. The bill addresses those issues in part by encouraging public-private partnerships for training and funding, but no formal opposition appears in the record provided.
The bill amends s. 1003.453, Florida Statutes, to make student first-aid and CPR training mandatory in specified grades and creates s. 1003.457 to establish new school cardiac-emergency preparedness requirements. It imposes statewide obligations on public schools and charter schools to develop emergency response plans, maintain at least one AED on campus, train staff, and register AED locations with local EMS officials. It also adds liability protections by tying school employee and volunteer AED use to existing immunity provisions, and requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules for implementation.
The bill appears to have enjoyed broad, unanimous support throughout the legislative process. Committee and floor votes were all recorded as 0 nays, suggesting consensus that the measure is a commonsense school safety and emergency preparedness bill. The absence of recorded debate or dissent in the provided materials indicates little visible controversy and a generally positive reception from lawmakers.
No substantive policy opposition is reflected in the available record. Any potential concerns would likely center on implementation burdens for schools, including the cost of AEDs, ongoing maintenance, staff training, and coordination with local emergency medical services. The bill anticipates some of those concerns by allowing public-private partnerships for training and funding and by providing liability protections for school personnel and volunteers.