HB697

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that of the four hundred thousand people who suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the United States each year, only six per cent survive the episode. In the State, emergency medical services teams treat nearly one thousand one hundred cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest each year, with only nine per cent of these victims surviving. Additionally, cities that have increased training for cardiopulmonary resuscitation have seen cardiac arrest survival rates reach up to sixty per cent.

The legislature further finds that thirty-nine states and the District of Columbia have passed legislation requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation training as a high school graduation requirement and at least seventy-five per cent of public high school students in the United States that are graduating this year will have learned lifesaving cardiopulmonary resuscitation in their schools. By incorporating cardiopulmonary resuscitation training, which can be completed in a single thirty-minute session, as an integral part of the health education curriculum for all students in grades nine through twelve in the State, there is a less likelihood that Hawaii residents will not feel helpless to act during a cardiac arrest emergency and survival rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests will increase.

The purpose of this Act is to require public, private, and charter schools to include instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation into its health education curriculum for students in grades nine through twelve.

SECTION 2. Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§302A- Cardiopulmonary resuscitation education. (a) Beginning with the 2020-2021 school year, the department shall provide instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation to high school students and such instruction shall be included in at least one health education class required for graduation.

(b) Instruction provided under this section shall:

(1) Include hands-on practicing of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator use; and

(2) Be in congruence with current, nationally recognized, evidence-based emergency care guidelines.

(1) Are not licensed teachers, but who are formally trained to provide the instruction, including volunteers from the community; or

(2) Are licensed teachers but who are not formally trained to provide the instruction.

(d) A public school may waive the requirement for instruction provided under this section for any student who is unable to participate in hands-on practicing of cardiopulmonary resuscitation by reasons of disability.

(e) A local agency, entity of the State or local government, or other public or private organization that sponsors, authorizes, supports, finances, or supervises the instruction of students in compression-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation or the use of an automated external defibrillator shall not be liable for any civil damages alleged to result from the acts or omissions of an individual who received such instruction.

(f) A public employee who provides or facilitates the instruction of students in compression-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation or the use of an automated external defibrillator shall not be liable for any civil damages alleged to result from the acts or omissions of an individual who received such instruction."

SECTION 3. Chapter 302C, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§302C- Cardiopulmonary resuscitation education. (a) Beginning with the 2020-2021 school year, all private schools in the State shall provide instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation to high school students and such instruction shall be included in at least one health education class required for graduation.

(b) Instruction provided under this section shall:

(1) Include hands-on practicing of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator use; and

(2) Be in congruence with current, nationally recognized, evidence-based emergency care guidelines.

(1) Are not teachers, but who are formally trained to provide the instruction, including volunteers from the community; or

(2) Are teachers but who are not formally trained to provide the instruction.

(d) A private school may waive the requirement for instruction provided under this section for any student who is unable to participate in hands-on practicing of cardiopulmonary resuscitation by reasons of disability.

(f) A public employee or private school employee who provides or facilitates the instruction of students in compression-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation or the use of an automated external defibrillator shall not be liable for any civil damages alleged to result from the acts or omissions of an individual who received such instruction."

SECTION 4. Chapter 302D, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§302D- Cardiopulmonary resuscitation education. (a) Beginning with the 2020-2021 school year, all public charter schools shall provide instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation to high school students and such instruction shall be included in at least one health education class required for graduation.

(b) Instruction provided under this section shall:

(1) Include hands-on practicing of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator use; and

(2) Be in congruence with current, nationally recognized, evidence-based emergency care guidelines.

(1) Are not licensed teachers, but who are formally trained to provide the instruction, including volunteers from the community; or

(2) Are licensed teachers but who are not formally trained to provide the instruction.

(d) A public charter school may waive the requirement for instruction provided under this section for any student who is unable to participate in hands-on practicing of cardiopulmonary resuscitation by reasons of disability.

SECTION 5. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	697
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2019
STATE OF HAWAII