Schools; requiring certain school personnel to complete certain training. Effective date. Emergency.
SB800 amends Oklahoma’s Chase Morris Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act to expand and tighten school requirements related to sudden cardiac arrest prevention and emergency response. The bill requires annual cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training for coaches and athletic trainers, requires school nurses to complete CPR training every two years, and bars a coach from coaching an athletic activity until the required training is completed. It also requires coaches, school nurses, and athletic trainers to complete annual sudden cardiac arrest training and first aid/AED training from approved or nationally recognized sources.
The bill continues and reinforces existing student safety procedures for school athletics. Students and parents must sign an annual acknowledgement of sudden cardiac arrest warning signs before participation, schools may hold preseason informational meetings, and any student who collapses or faints without a head injury during an athletic activity must be removed and cannot return until cleared in writing by a health care provider. SB800 also requires each public school to develop a sudden cardiac emergency response plan, including a response team, AED placement and maintenance, staff training, drills, coordination with EMS, and annual review and updating of the plan. The bill updates statutory language, sets an effective date of July 1, 2025, and includes an emergency clause for immediate effect upon passage and approval.
SB800 would amend 70 O.S. Section 24-156, the Chase Morris Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act, by adding more specific training mandates and strengthening school-level emergency planning requirements. It affects public schools, school coaches, school nurses, athletic trainers, students participating in grades 7-12 athletic activities, and school districts responsible for implementing AED access and response plans. The bill does not create or alter civil liability, and it directs the State Department of Health and State Department of Education, along with the State Board of Health and State Board of Education, to provide guidance and promulgate rules for implementation.
Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears to have a broadly protective, safety-focused purpose with no recorded committee debate or vote history in the provided materials. The bill’s framing suggests support for stronger emergency preparedness in school athletics, especially around sudden cardiac arrest prevention, CPR readiness, and AED access. The inclusion of an emergency clause also indicates the sponsor viewed the measure as important and time-sensitive.
No committee transcripts or votes were provided, so there is no documented opposition or amendment debate to identify. Potential points of practical concern, however, may include the added compliance burden on schools, the need to train and recertify staff on a recurring basis, and the cost and logistics of AED placement, maintenance, and emergency response planning. The bill also makes coaching contingent on completion of training, which could raise implementation concerns for districts with staffing shortages or limited access to approved training providers.