Requires schools safety plans to include a cardiac emergency response plan that addresses the use of appropriate personnel and measures to respond to incidents involving any individual experiencing sudden cardiac arrest or similar life-threatening emergency on any school site owned or operated by a school or at a location of a school sponsored event.
Summary
A00785, titled “Desha’s law,” amends New York education law to require school safety plans to include a cardiac emergency response plan. The bill directs district-wide school safety teams to develop and implement written procedures for responding to sudden cardiac arrest or similar life-threatening emergencies on school property and at school-sponsored events, including athletic practices and competitions. It also requires schools to maintain automated external defibrillators (AEDs) that are clearly marked, accessible, and maintained in line with American Heart Association or other nationally recognized emergency cardiovascular care guidelines.
The bill expands existing school safety planning requirements by adding sudden cardiac arrest to the list of emergency situations addressed in school safety training and response procedures. It also calls for coordination with community EMS protocols and allows, but does not require, voluntary first aid, CPR, and AED training for relevant staff. The measure applies to school districts, BOCES, county vocational education and extension boards, and charter schools, and it takes effect 180 days after becoming law.
Impact
The bill would amend sections 917 and 2801-a of the Education Law, making cardiac emergency planning a required component of school safety plans statewide. It would impose new planning and procedural obligations on school districts and other covered educational entities, while reinforcing existing AED access and maintenance requirements. The law would also broaden annual safety training content to include sudden cardiac arrest and require emergency response plans to address venue-specific athletic settings and coordination with emergency medical services.
Sentiment
The available voting history shows unanimous support at every recorded stage, including committee approvals and final passage in both chambers with no recorded dissent. That pattern suggests broad bipartisan agreement that the bill addresses an important student and school safety issue. The absence of committee transcript material limits insight into detailed debate, but the votes indicate the measure was viewed favorably and as a practical public-safety enhancement.
Contention
No notable opposition is reflected in the available record, as all recorded votes were unanimous. The main policy choices embedded in the bill are the scope of required cardiac emergency procedures, how specifically schools must integrate those procedures with EMS and athletic-event protocols, and the balance between mandatory planning requirements and voluntary staff training. Any potential concerns would likely center on implementation burden, training logistics, and compliance costs for schools, but those concerns are not documented in the provided materials.
Same As
Requires schools safety plans to include a cardiac emergency response plan that addresses the use of appropriate personnel and measures to respond to incidents involving any individual experiencing sudden cardiac arrest or similar life-threatening emergency on any school site owned or operated by a school or at a location of a school sponsored event.
Requires schools safety plans to include a cardiac emergency response plan that addresses the use of appropriate personnel and measures to respond to incidents involving any individual experiencing sudden cardiac arrest or similar life-threatening emergency on any school site owned or operated by a school or at a location of a school sponsored event.