On March 31, 2023, House Bill 331 – AN ACT relating to the emergency medical preparedness of schools, was signed by Governor Beshear. The bill mandates that middle schools, high schools and all their athletic facilities maintain a portable automated external defibrillator (AED) and require school staff to be trained on the machines and on performing CPR.

Read a recent article from WLWT5 titled “AED accessiblity bill passes Kentucky House, heads to governor” to learn more.

House Bill 331

The following summary was pulled from the KY.GOV website. Read House Bill 331.

Amend KRS 158.162 to direct local boards of education to require schools to maintain a portable automated external defibrillator in every middle and high school building and at school-sponsored events; require local boards to adopt policies and procedures for portable automated external defibrillators and ensure training requirements are met; amend KRS 158.302 to conform; amend KRS 160.445 to require all interscholastic coaches to be trained in CPR and use of portable automated external defibrillators; require all schools that participate in interscholastic athletics to maintain a portable automated external defibrillator at every practice or competition and meet training requirements; require venue-specific emergency plans to identify the location of a portable automated external defibrillator and the procedures for use; require schools that participate in interscholastic athletics to annually certify compliance with portable automated external defibrillator requirements and venue-specific emergency plan requirements.