BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 2217
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Date of Hearing: May 14, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Mike Gatto, Chair
AB 2217 (Melendez) - As Amended: May 6, 2014
Policy Committee: EducationVote:7-0
Judiciary 10-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill expresses the intent of the Legislature to encourage
all public schools to acquire and maintain at least one
automated external defibrillator (AED). Specifically, this bill:
1)Authorizes a public school to solicit and receive nonstate
funds to acquire and maintain an AED. Further requires these
funds to only be used to acquire and maintain an AED and to
provide training to school employees regarding use of an AED.
2)Provides that employees of the school district are not liable
for civil damages resulting from certain uses, attempted uses,
or nonuses of an AED. Further provides that a public school or
school district that complies with certain requirements
related to an AED is not liable for any civil damages
resulting from any act or omission in the rendering of the
emergency care or treatment, as specified.
FISCAL EFFECT
GF/98 cost pressure, likely between $700,000 and $1 million, to
public schools to purchase an AED, train staff, and maintain
records. These costs are not state reimbursable mandated costs
because the provisions of this bill are not required by school
districts. There are over 9,000 public schools in the state.
Actual costs will depend on the number of schools that do not
have an AED and whether or not they choose to train staff on its
use.
COMMENTS
AB 2217
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1)Purpose . According to the author, the majority of California's
children spend about 14,000 hours away from their parents and
under the supervision of the state while they receive an
education at California's K - 12 public schools. While under
this supervision, parents should be confident that their
children are protected. Trained non-medical personnel can use
these simplified electronic machines to treat a person in
cardiac arrest. The author contends that ultimately, with
broad deployment of AEDs among trained responders, as many as
50,000 deaths due to sudden cardiac arrest could be prevented
each year. With this in mind, this bill encourages all public
schools to acquire and maintain at least one AED.
2)Previous Legislation . AB 939 (Melendez) of 2013, substantially
similar to this bill, encourages all public schools to acquire
and maintain an AED and provides immunity from civil damages
to the employee of the school district and to the school
district resulting from the use of an AED. This bill was held
on the Senate Appropriations Committee Suspense File.
Analysis Prepared by : Misty Feusahrens / APPR. / (916)
319-2081