The American Heart Association announced that its multi-year effort to implement and fund cardiac emergency response plans (CERPs) in Louisiana schools and at school athletic events has been a success. This effort is part of the Association’s Nation of Lifesavers movement to double survival rates from cardiac arrest by 2030.
Over the past three legislative sessions, the Association has worked to ensure schools are prepared and ready to save a life in the event of a cardiac emergency on campus or at a school-sponsored athletic event. Since 2023, the Association and its passionate volunteers have advocated for the following legislative milestones:
SB12 (2023), authored by Senator Cleo Fields, marked a first step forward by requiring schools to develop and implement CERPs, ensure school personnel are trained in CPR and AED use, and have an automated external defibrillator (AED) on-site. It also secured $1.5 million for AED procurement and implementation. SB12 was signed into law as Act 234 of 2023.
SB54 (2024), sponsored by Senator Bill Wheat, built upon the previous year's success and made it a requirement for high school coaches to be trained in CPR, AED use, and First Aid. The legislation went through the entire legislative process without a single vote of opposition, making it Act 95 of 2024.
HB 1, State Budget (2025), provided funding for CPR and AED training for high school coaches, ensuring they receive two-year certifications in life-saving skills.
An estimated 23,000 children under the age of 18 experience cardiac arrest outside of the hospital each year in the U.S. In schools where AEDs are available, 70% of children survive cardiac arrest – more than seven times the overall survival rate for children. CPR, when performed immediately, can double or triple a person’s chances of survival in a cardiac emergency.
To learn more or to get involved, visit HeartPowered.org.