EDUCATION – Adds to existing law to establish provisions regarding cardiac emergency response plans.
Summary
House Bill 595 would add a new section to Idaho education law requiring public school districts and public charter schools to develop cardiac emergency response plans (CERPs) beginning in the 2026-2027 school year. The State Department of Education, working with school district leadership and the Idaho High School Activities Association, would be directed to develop and provide guidelines for these plans and for integrating them into existing emergency response policies.
The bill requires schools to identify how staff will respond to cardiac arrest or similar life-threatening emergencies on school grounds, and it sets expectations for AED placement, maintenance, and staff training. It also separately requires schools with athletic programs or organized athletics to create venue-specific plans for athletic practices and events, keep AEDs accessible at athletic venues, and ensure coaches are trained in CPR, first aid, and AED use. The bill includes a civil liability immunity provision for persons administering or following the section and declares an emergency so it would take effect July 1, 2026.
Impact
The bill would amend Chapter 1, Title 33 of the Idaho Code by creating a new statutory requirement for cardiac emergency preparedness in public schools and public charter schools. It would impose new planning, equipment, training, and accessibility obligations on schools and athletic programs, while also authorizing local school boards to accept gifts, grants, and donations to help pay for AEDs, maintenance, and staff training. The measure also references compliance with FDA standards for AEDs and provides civil immunity under existing Idaho tort law provisions.
Sentiment
The available context suggests generally favorable or noncontroversial treatment of the bill, but there is limited recorded debate because no committee transcript or vote history is provided. The bill was introduced by the House Health and Welfare Committee and was reported printed and referred to the Health & Welfare committee, indicating it was handled as a public health and school safety measure rather than a partisan policy dispute. The absence of recorded opposition or roll-call votes in the provided materials suggests the proposal was at least initially treated as a practical safety initiative.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided transcript or vote history. Potential areas of discussion, based on the bill text, could include the cost of purchasing and maintaining AEDs, the burden on schools to train staff and coaches, and how strictly schools must meet the three-minute AED accessibility standard. Another possible issue is implementation responsibility, since the bill allows either the State Department of Education or local school boards to establish monitoring procedures, which could raise questions about oversight and enforcement.