LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Senate Committee on Health Policy voted to approve two bills which would require more comprehensive cardiac emergency response plans for schools.
The two bills, House Bills 5527 and 5528, will require public schools, athletic facilities and school events to have a plan in place for cases of sudden cardiac arrest as well as adding a training requirement for athletic coaches.
House Bill 5527 requires, in part, public schools to:
- Establish a "cardiac emergency response team."
- Make automated external defibrillators (AED) accessible in locations throughout the school and athletic facilities.
- Have ongoing training of school personnel.
- Have annual simulations to practice the response plan.
House Bill 5528 requires that athletic coaches at high schools to hold a certification for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of an AED. The bill also waves all legal and civil liabilities from a coach when they are performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
The two bills are now moving to the Michigan Senate for a final vote before it would head to the governor's desk to be signed into law.
If passed, the bills would take effect beginning in the 2025-26 school year.
“Schools are a nucleus for community events, plays, concerts, and athletic events, so by creating the next Nation of Lifesavers, we can ensure all those gathering at schools or athletic events know what to do in the event of a cardiac emergency,” said Cindie De Wolf, Mission Advancement Advisor, American Heart Association.
The legislation just months after the Wes Leonard "Never Forgotten" game at Hudsonville High School.
In 2011, 16-year-old Wes Leonard hit the game-winning shot against Hudsonville during a game and then just minutes later, he collapsed on the court and died. Leonard had an enlarged heart, which was the cause of his cardiac arrest that killed him.
The "Never Forgotten" charity game helps raise money for the Wes Leonard Heart Team, which provides AEDs to schools and athletic organizations.
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