SF 2390 (LSB 6559SV (1) 91)

SENATE FILE 2390

BY  COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

(SUCCESSOR TO SF 2092)

A BILL FOR

An Act establishing the school health-related emergency response plan competitive grant program within the department of education, making appropriations, and including applicability provisions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 256E.7, subsection 2, Code 2026, is amended by adding the following new paragraph:
   NEW PARAGRAPH.  0t.  Be subject to and comply with the requirements of section 280.16B relating to the development and implementation of a cardiac emergency response plan in the same manner as a school district.
    Sec. 2.  Section 256F.4, subsection 2, Code 2026, is amended by adding the following new paragraph:
   NEW PARAGRAPH.  v.  Be subject to and comply with the requirements of section 280.16B relating to the development and implementation of a cardiac emergency response plan in the same manner as a school district.
    Sec. 3.  NEW SECTION.  280.16B  School health-related emergency response plan competitive grant program.
   1.  As used in this section:
   a.  “Athletic emergency action plan” means written guidelines and templates for the documentation of emergency planning to help prepare individuals for a catastrophic injury situation that occurs during physical education or an extracurricular athletic activity or contest.
   b.  “Automated external defibrillator” means a lightweight, portable device that delivers an electric shock through the chest to the heart to stop an irregular heartbeat and allow normal heartbeat rhythm to resume following cardiac arrest.
   c.  “Cardiac emergency response plan” means a written document that satisfies all of the following requirements:
   (1)  Establishes the specific steps to be taken by employees or contractors of a school to respond to incidents involving an individual experiencing cardiac arrest or a similar life-threatening emergency on school property, during physical education, during an extracurricular athletic activity or contest, during practice associated with an extracurricular athletic activity or contest, or during a school-sponsored activity, and to reduce the likelihood of the individual’s death from cardiac arrest or a similar life-threatening emergency.
   (2)  Integrates core elements of guidance adopted by the American heart association.
   d.  “School” means all of the following:
   (1)  A school district organized pursuant to chapter 274.
   (2)  An accredited nonpublic school.
   (3)  A charter school established pursuant to chapter 256E.
   (4)  A charter school or innovation zone school established pursuant to chapter 256F.
   2.  If the general assembly appropriates moneys to the school health-related emergency response plan competitive grant program fund established pursuant to subsection 5, the department of education shall develop and administer a school health-related emergency response plan competitive grant program to provide grants to schools to offset the costs associated with the school’s development and implementation of a cardiac emergency response plan that satisfies all of the following requirements:
   a.  Establishes a cardiac emergency response team and activates the team in response to an individual experiencing cardiac arrest or a similar life-threatening emergency on school property, during physical education, during an extracurricular athletic activity or contest, during practice associated with an extracurricular athletic activity or contest, or during a school-sponsored activity.
   b.  Requires the placement of automated external defibrillators on school property pursuant to guidance adopted by the American heart association and in such a manner that all of the following requirements are satisfied:
   (1)  An employee or contractor of a school is able to place an automated external defibrillator on an individual on school property within three minutes after the individual experiences cardiac arrest.
   (2)  Each automated external defibrillator is available in an unlocked location on school property that is accessible during the school day and during any extracurricular athletic activity or contest, practice associated with an extracurricular athletic activity or contest, or school-sponsored activity.
   (3)  Each automated external defibrillator is identified using appropriate signage.
   c.  Requires routine maintenance of automated external defibrillators on school property according to the manufacturer’s operational guidelines.
   d.  Requires the school to provide information to emergency medical services providers related to the school’s automated external defibrillators, including the type of automated external defibrillator placed on school property and the location of each automated external defibrillator placed on school property.
   e.  Requires the distribution of the cardiac emergency response plan to all attendance centers within the school system.
   f.  Requires ongoing training and certification for coaches, school nurses, athletic trainers, and, when appropriate, other employees or contractors, in first aid, the administration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and the use of automated external defibrillators.
   g.  Requires annual drills to practice the execution of the cardiac emergency response plan.
   h.  Requires that local emergency medical services providers be contacted in the event an individual experiences cardiac arrest or a similar life-threatening emergency on school property, during physical education, during an extracurricular athletic activity or contest, during practice associated with an extracurricular athletic activity or contest, or during a school-sponsored activity.
   i.  Requires ongoing review and evaluation of the cardiac emergency response plan on at least an annual basis.
   j.  Includes an athletic emergency action plan.
   3.  The state board of education shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to administer this section, including rules relating to grant application materials, eligibility requirements, and award criteria.
   4.  Moneys awarded under this section shall be used to supplement, not supplant, existing public funding used by a school district for similar purposes.
   5.  A school health-related emergency response plan competitive grant program fund is established in the state treasury under the control of the department of education. All moneys deposited or paid into the fund are appropriated to the department of education to be used for grants awarded as provided under this section. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys in the fund that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the close of a fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain available for expenditure for the purposes designated. Notwithstanding section 12C.7, subsection 2, interest or earnings on moneys in the fund shall be credited to the fund.
    Sec. 4.  APPLICABILITY.  This Act applies to school years beginning on or after July 1, 2027.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill establishes the school health-related emergency response plan competitive grant program within the department of education (DE).
   The bill defines “athletic emergency action plan” as written guidelines and templates for the documentation of emergency planning to help prepare individuals for a catastrophic injury situation that occurs during physical education or an extracurricular athletic activity or contest. The bill defines “automated external defibrillator” as a lightweight, portable device that delivers an electric shock through the chest to the heart to stop an irregular heartbeat and allow normal heartbeat rhythm to resume following cardiac arrest. The bill also defines “cardiac emergency response plan” to mean a written document that establishes the specific steps to be taken by employees or contractors of a school to respond to incidents involving an individual experiencing cardiac arrest or a similar life-threatening emergency on school property, during physical education, during an extracurricular athletic activity or contest, during practice associated with an extracurricular athletic activity or contest, or during a school-sponsored activity, and to reduce the likelihood of the individual’s death from cardiac arrest or a similar life-threatening emergency, and that integrates core elements of guidance adopted by the American heart association. Additionally, the bill defines “school” as a school district, accredited nonpublic school, charter school, or innovation zone school.
   The bill provides that if the general assembly appropriates moneys to the school health-related emergency response plan competitive grant program fund, DE is required to develop and administer a school health-related emergency response plan competitive grant program to provide grants to schools to offset the costs associated with the school’s development and implementation of a cardiac emergency response plan that satisfies the requirements established in the bill. The state board of education is required to adopt rules to administer the school health-related emergency response plan competitive grant program. The bill provides that moneys awarded under the school health-related emergency response plan competitive grant program shall be used to supplement, not supplant, existing public funding used by a school district for similar purposes. The bill applies to school years beginning on or after July 1, 2027.