AB 1719: Pupil instruction: cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

(1)Existing law authorizes a school district or school to provide a comprehensive program in first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation training, or both, to pupils and employees in accordance with specified guidelines. Existing law requires each pupil completing grade 12 to satisfy certain requirements as a condition of receiving a diploma of graduation from high school. These requirements include the completion of designated coursework in grades 9 to 12, inclusive. Existing law authorizes a governing board of a school district to adopt other coursework requirements.

This bill would require, commencing with the 201819 school year, the governing board of a school district or the governing body of a charter school that requires a course in health education for graduation from high school to include instruction in performing compression-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation, as provided. The bill would encourage those entities to provide to pupils general information on the use and importance of an automated external defibrillator. The bill would require the State Department of Education to provide guidance on how to implement these provisions, including, but not limited to, who may provide instruction.

(2)Existing law provides that no local agency, entity of state or local government, or other public or private organization that sponsors, authorizes, supports, finances, or supervises the training of citizens in cardiopulmonary resuscitation shall be liable for any civil damages alleged to result from such training programs.

Existing law provides that no person who is certified to instruct in cardiopulmonary resuscitation by either the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross shall be liable for any civil damages alleged to result from the acts or omissions of an individual who received instruction on cardiopulmonary resuscitation by that certified instructor.

This bill would provide that a local agency, entity of state or local government, or other public or private organization that sponsors, authorizes, supports, finances, or supervises, and a public employee who provides or facilitates, the instruction of pupils in compression-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation or the use of an automated external defibrillator pursuant to the bill shall not be liable for any civil damages alleged to result from the acts or omissions of an individual who received such instruction, except as provided.