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RESOLVES
Second Special Session of the 121st

CHAPTER 112
H.P. 136 - L.D. 177

Resolve, To Ensure That Emergency Medical Help Is Available to All School Children

Preamble. Whereas, the Legislature recognizes that the health and safety of students in our schools is a preeminent concern of school officials and educational personnel across the State; and

     Whereas, having a medical emergency response plan in place to effectively respond to inevitable medical emergencies resulting from sudden cardiac events is both prudent and necessary for our schools; and

     Whereas, the Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Automated External Defibrillators for Maine Schools Workgroup convened by the Department of Education has acknowledged the important progress that many of Maine's school administrative units have made in establishing emergency response teams comprised of school personnel who hold valid certifications in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and whose roles include providing an immediate response to a medical emergency in order to stabilize the medical emergency until emergency medical services arrives at the scene of the emergency; and

     Whereas, a survey of state school nurse consultants regarding their states' requirements for CPR-certified personnel in schools found that a number of states specify that certain school personnel, including school health staff, athletic coaches and bus drivers, be certified in CPR and further discovered that several states specify a formula for the number of school personnel to be certified on a per student or per building basis in order to increase the number of people able to respond to a medical emergency resulting from a sudden cardiac event; and

     Whereas, the public has a justifiable and legitimate interest in ensuring that every student has adequate access during the school day to school personnel who are certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and who can serve as first responders in medical emergencies resulting from sudden cardiac events; now, therefore, be it

     Sec. 1. Survey. Resolved: That the Department of Education, working together with the school nurse consultant under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, section 1971, the School Health Advisory Committee and other appropriate organizations, shall review the recommendations of the Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Automated External Defibrillators for Maine Schools Workgroup and shall design a survey of school administrative units and private schools enrolling more than 60% of their students at public expense in the State regarding the extent to which these school administrative units and private schools have medical emergency response plans in place and have developed emergency response teams comprised of school personnel who hold valid certifications in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and whose roles include providing an immediate response to a medical emergency, including a medical emergency resulting from a sudden cardiac event.

In reviewing the recommendations of the Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Automated External Defibrillators for Maine Schools Workgroup prior to designing the survey of school administrative units and private schools in accordance with this section, the department shall also review the most recent guidance provided by the American Heart Association and the National Association of School Nurses regarding emergency preparedness planning in kindergarten through grade 12 public schools.
The survey developed by the department must assess the following:

     1. As of the end of the 2003-2004 school year, the number of school administrative units and private schools enrolling more than 60% of their students at public expense in the State that have written local policies and procedures for ensuring that every student has adequate access during the school day to school personnel that are certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation;

     2. As of the end of the 2003-2004 school year, the number of school administrative units and private schools enrolling more than 60% of their students at public expense in the State whose adopted local policies include the following:

     3. The need of CPR training for school personnel and, if a need for training was identified, the plan developed to address the necessary training; and

     4. The cost to develop the local policies and to implement the policies on an annual basis; and be it further

     Sec. 2. Report. Resolved: That the Department of Education shall submit a report, including findings and recommended legislation, to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education matters during the First Regular Session of the 122nd Legislature by November 3, 2004. The joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education matters has the authority to introduce a bill based on the recommendations of the Department of Education report during the First Regular Session of the 122nd Legislature.

Effective July 30, 2004, unless otherwise indicated.

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