Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Arkansas General Assembly, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
1 State of Arkansas As Engrossed: H3/10/25
2 95th General Assembly
A Bill
3 Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1398
4
5 By: Representative L. Johnson
6 By: Senator D. Wallace
7
8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO REQUIRE SCHOOLS TO SUPPORT, ESTABLISH, AND
10 IMPLEMENT A CARDIAC EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN THAT
11 INTEGRATES NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED ELEMENTS; AND FOR
12 OTHER PURPOSES.
13
14
15 Subtitle
16 TO REQUIRE SCHOOLS TO SUPPORT,
17 ESTABLISH, AND IMPLEMENT A CARDIAC
18 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN THAT INTEGRATES
19 NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED ELEMENTS.
20
21 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
22
23 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code � 6-18-713(a), concerning the definition
24 relating to student sudden cardiac arrest education, is amended to read as
25 follows:
26 (a)(1) As used in this section, "athletic activity":
27 (1)(A) "Athletic activity" means an organized athletic activity
28 that is sponsored or associated with a school and in which the participants,
29 a majority of whom are under nineteen (19) years of age, are:
30 (A)(i) Engaged in an athletic game or competition against
31 another team, club, or entity; or
32 (B)(ii) In practice or preparation for an organized
33 athletic game or competition against another team, club, or entity.
34 (2)(B) As used in this section, "athletic activity" "Athletic
35 activity" includes without limitation:
36 (A)(i) Interscholastic athletics;
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1 (B)(ii) Cheerleading, whether or not the cheerleading is
2 competitive;
3 (C)(iii) Club-sponsored sports activities; and
4 (D)(iv) Sports activities sponsored by school-affiliated
5 organizations;
6 (2) "Automated external defibrillator" means the same as defined
7 in � 20-13-1303;
8 (3) "Cardiopulmonary resuscitation" means the same as defined in
9 � 20-13-1303;
10 (4) "Cardiac emergency response plan" means a written document
11 that establishes the specific steps to be taken during a suspected cardiac
12 emergency or similar life-threatening emergency to reduce death from cardiac
13 arrest in any setting; and
14 (5) "Sudden cardiac arrest" means a medical condition in which
15 the heart stops beating unexpectedly and can quickly lead to death.
16
17 SECTION 2. Arkansas Code � 6-18-713, concerning student sudden cardiac
18 arrest education, is amended to add an additional subsection to read as
19 follows:
20 (g)(1) Beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, each school shall
21 develop and implement a protocol within the emergency operation plan
22 addressing a cardiac emergency response plan that addresses the appropriate
23 use of school personnel to respond to incidents involving an individual
24 experiencing sudden cardiac arrest or a similar life-threatening emergency
25 while on school grounds.
26 (2) In developing a cardiac emergency response plan, a school
27 shall ensure that the cardiac emergency response plan includes without
28 limitation:
29 (A) Integrated nationally recognized core elements, such
30 as elements recommended by a nationally recognized organization focused on
31 emergency cardiovascular care;
32 (B) The establishment of a cardiac emergency response
33 team;
34 (C) A requirement that the cardiac emergency response team
35 be activated in response to a sudden cardiac arrest;
36 (D)(i) A process for automated external defibrillator
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As Engrossed: H3/10/25 HB1398
1 placement and routine maintenance within the school.
2 (ii) Appropriate automated external defibrillator
3 placement shall be determined by the cardiac emergency response plan in
4 accordance with guidelines of the American Heart Association or an
5 organization focused on emergency cardiovascular care.
6 (iii) An automated external defibrillator shall be:
7 (a) Placed on site;
8 (b) Identified with appropriate signage;
9 (c) Made available in an unlocked location on
10 school property; and
11 (d) Encouraged to be used on an individual
12 experiencing sudden cardiac arrest or a similar life-threatening emergency
13 within three (3) minutes;
14 (E) A requirement that the cardiac emergency response plan
15 be disseminated throughout the school campus;
16 (F)(i) A process for maintenance of ongoing staff training
17 in the use of cardiopulmonary resuscitation or automated external
18 defibrillator, or both.
19 (ii) Appropriate school staff shall be trained in
20 use of first-aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and automated external
21 defibrillator through guidelines of a nationally recognized organization
22 focused on emergency cardiovascular care;
23 (G) The incorporation of annual practice drills regarding
24 sudden cardiac arrest;
25 (H)(i) The integration of local emergency medical services
26 with the cardiac emergency response plan.
27 (ii) School officials shall work directly with local
28 emergency service providers to integrate the cardiac emergency response plan
29 into the community's emergency medical services responder protocols; and
30 (I) A procedure for review and evaluate the cardiac
31 emergency response plan.
32 (3) The Department of Education may establish a procedure for
33 monitoring adherence by schools to the requirements under this section.
34 (4) A school shall incorporate the requirements of this section
35 at the next scheduled revision of the school's emergency operations plan, but
36 no later than the 2026-2027 school year
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1 /s/L. Johnson
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4 03-10-2025 11:45:50 JMB014Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.