SB 350 revises Indiana law governing automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and school emergency planning. It allows certain local public health funding to be used to provide AEDs to school corporations, charter schools, and state accredited nonpublic schools when those devices are part of a venue-specific emergency action plan for sudden cardiac arrest. The bill also broadens and updates the definition of that emergency action plan to emphasize detailed response instructions, the location and accessibility of AEDs, and coordination with nationally recognized cardiac emergency guidance.
The bill requires the Department of Education, working with local health departments, to help develop venue-specific sudden cardiac arrest plans for schools during the 2025-2026 school year and to provide support if requested. Those plans must include a cardiac emergency response plan, frequent rehearsal and annual updates, clear AED placement at athletic venues or within a short response time, integration with local EMS protocols, universal access to AEDs, and staff/volunteer training in first aid, CPR, and AED use. It also directs the department to survey schools about existing AEDs and emergency plans and publish a report on the results.
Impact
SB 350 amends IC 16-46 and IC 20-34 and creates a new section in the education code. It expands the permitted uses of local public health funds to include AED purchases for schools, places new planning and training obligations on schools and the Department of Education, and requires a statewide inventory-style survey of school AEDs and cardiac emergency plans. The bill affects school corporations, charter schools, state accredited nonpublic schools, local health departments, and the Department of Education, while also adding transparency requirements for local health spending and school emergency preparedness.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad support in committee, passing the Senate Committee on Health and Provider Services unanimously on a 12-0 vote after amendment. The committee action suggests general agreement with the goal of improving school cardiac emergency preparedness and AED access. No opposing votes or recorded committee debate were provided, so the available record reflects a favorable and largely noncontroversial reception at that stage.
Contention
The main policy questions raised by the bill are operational and fiscal rather than ideological: who will develop and support the school emergency plans, how schools will meet the new AED placement and training standards, and whether local public health funds should be used for school AED purchases. The bill also imposes reporting and posting requirements on local health departments and schools, which may raise implementation concerns about administrative burden and compliance. The committee amendment clarified that the Department of Education will work in collaboration with local health departments, indicating attention to coordination and responsibility-sharing.