SB 6118

S-4424.1
  SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 6118
State of Washington  69th Legislature        2026 Regular Session
By Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education (originally sponsored by
Senators Nobles, Harris, Slatter, Cortes, Hunt, Kauffman, Lovick,
Riccelli, Trudeau, Valdez, and J. Wilson)
READ FIRST TIME 02/04/26.
1     AN ACT Relating to cardiac emergency response plans in schools;
2 and adding a new section to chapter 28A.210 RCW.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
4     NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 28A.210
5 RCW to read as follows:
6     (1) To the extent state funding is appropriated for this purpose,
7 each school district shall develop a cardiac emergency response plan
8 for each school within the district and for each athletic facility on
9 a school campus, to prepare for persons who may experience a cardiac
10 arrest on school property, including participants and attendees of
11 athletic practices and events.
12     (2) To the extent state funding is appropriated to support this
13 work, school officials shall work with local emergency service
14 providers to integrate the cardiac emergency response plans into the
15 community's emergency service response protocols.
16     (3)(a) If a cardiac emergency response plan is developed, it must
17 include evidence-based core elements, such as those recommended by
18 the American heart association or other evidence-based organization
19 focused on emergency cardiovascular care.
20     (b) If a cardiac emergency response plan is developed, it must:
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1     (i) Designate a cardiac emergency response team comprised of
2 school staff and inclusive of coaches, school nurses, athletic
3 trainers, teachers, counselors, and administrators;
4     (ii) Establish procedures for activating the cardiac emergency
5 response team if a person experiences cardiac arrest on school
6 property;
7     (iii) Designate locations for the installation of automated
8 external defibrillators throughout campus, including at each campus
9 athletic facility, with the goal of being able to place an automated
10 external defibrillator on a person within three minutes of becoming
11 aware of a cardiac arrest;
12     (iv) Establish a regular maintenance schedule, in accordance with
13 the manufacturer's operational guidelines, for automated external
14 defibrillators installed on school property;
15     (v) Establish a regular schedule, consistent with guidelines set
16 by   the   American   heart  association   or   other   evidence-based
17 organization focused on emergency cardiovascular care, for cardiac
18 emergency response team training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation,
19 first aid, and automated external defibrillator use;
20     (vi) Establish dates, at least annually, when the plan will be
21 rehearsed in each school by the individuals who will be responsible
22 for executing the plan in an emergency;
23     (vii) Describe the coordination and integration of the cardiac
24 emergency response plan with local emergency service providers; and
25     (viii) Establish procedures for responding to incidents of
26 cardiac arrest that occur off-campus during school-sponsored events.
27     (4) Once a school district establishes a cardiac emergency
28 response plan, staff from each school shall review and update their
29 cardiac emergency response plan at least annually.
30     (5) To the extent state funding is appropriated for school staff
31 training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, first aid, and automated
32 external defibrillator use, the training must follow evidence-based
33 guidelines set by the American heart association or other evidence-
34 based organization focused on emergency cardiovascular care.
35     (6) Locations for automated external defibrillator installations
36 must be determined by the cardiac emergency response plan and in
37 accordance with guidelines set by the American heart association or
38 other evidence-based organization focused on emergency cardiovascular
39 care. Each automated external defibrillator must be identified with
40 clear signage and stored in an unlocked location on school property
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1 that is easily accessible during the school day and during school-
2 sponsored athletic events or team practices in which pupils of the
3 school are participating.
4     (7) To the extent state funding is appropriated for this purpose,
5 each automated external defibrillator must be tested and maintained
6 by the school according to the manufacturer's operational guidelines
7 and local emergency service providers must be notified of its type
8 and location.
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