On June 9, 2008, the US House of Representatives approved HR 4926, the Josh Miller HEARTS Act, which would establish a grant program through the Department of Education to provide elementary and secondary schools with funds to purchase life-saving automated external defibrillators (AEDs). The bill was named for Josh Miller, a 15-year-old high school student from Ohio who died after not receiving an AED shock in time.
The legislation, introduced by Representative Betty Sutton (D-OH), has now been passed on to the Senate where it was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions for consideration. Earlier this year, the Society provided remarks at a press conference in support of this legislation.
The Josh Miller HEARTS Act amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to award matching grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) to:
- purchase automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for use in their schools; and/or
- provide training to meet the grant requirement that at least five adult employees or volunteers at each school where an AED is to be used successfully complete training in its use and in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Requires LEA grant applicants also to demonstrate that:
-
- the AEDs are integrated into the schools' emergency response procedures; and
- emergency services personnel are notified of their locations. Requires LEA grantees to provide nonfederal matching funds equal to at least 25% of their grant, unless 20% or more of the children they serve come from impoverished families. Gives grant priority to schools that:
(1) lack an AED;
(2) typically have a significant number of students, staff, and visitors present during the day;
(3) generally have a longer wait for emergency medical services than other public facilities in the community; and
(4) have not received funds under the Rural Access to Emergency Devices Act. Authorizes appropriations for the grant program for FY2008-FY2013.
