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LD 587

An Act To Require Cardiac Emergency Response Plans And Athletic Emergency Action Plans For Schools And School-Sponsored Athletic Events

132nd Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Jan Dodge and 4 co-sponsors

Requires schools to develop and implement cardiac and athletic emergency action plans, place accessible AEDs, and train/drill staff to respond to cardiac emergencies.

Became Law without Governor's Signature
#cardiacemergencyplans #medical #schoolpolicies
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Bill Summary · LD 587

Summary — LD 587

An Act To Require Cardiac Emergency Response Plans And Athletic Emergency Action Plans For Schools And School‑sponsored Athletic Events

Purpose

Require school administrative units (SAUs) to prepare and implement cardiac emergency response plans and athletic emergency action plans to improve responses to sudden cardiac arrest and other life‑threatening events at schools and school‑sponsored athletic events.

Key provisions

  • Requires each SAU to develop:
    • A cardiac emergency response plan for occupied school buildings.
    • An athletic emergency action plan (venue‑specific) for each athletic venue on school property and for school‑sponsored events and team practices.
  • Requires placement/availability of automated external defibrillators (AEDs):
    • In occupied school buildings and in each athletic venue on school property.
    • In the Senate amendment version, an AED must be accessible at any school‑sponsored event or team practice in which students are participating.
  • Training and drills:
    • Ongoing CPR and AED training for faculty and personnel.
    • Annual practice drills to begin in the 2026–2027 school year (per initial fiscal note).
  • Notification requirement (in the Senate amendment): SAUs must notify the appropriate local emergency medical services of the location and type of AED acquired.
  • Plans must address use of school personnel to respond appropriately to individuals experiencing sudden cardiac arrest or similar emergencies.

Timeline / procedural aspects

  • Training and annual drills were targeted to begin in the 2026–2027 school year (per the bill text/fiscal note).
  • Bill introduced 02/19/2025; passed both chambers with amendments (committee and senate amendments adopted) and was sent for enactment (passed to be enacted in concurrence 06/25/2025).
  • Current status (as of 07/08/2025): HELD BY THE GOVERNOR (pending signature, veto, or other action).

Fiscal impact and funding issues

  • Preliminary fiscal note (04/07/25): one‑time General Fund appropriation of $1,800,000 in FY 2026–27 to the Department of Education to cover costs to SAUs for AED purchase/maintenance, CPR/AED training, educational materials, and basic first aid training. Assumed to cover ~90% of local costs; additional appropriations possible if costs exceed estimate.
  • Committee amendment fiscal note (05/21/25): estimated only a minor local cost increase that can be absorbed within existing SAU budgets.
  • Senate amendment fiscal note (06/03/25): flagged as a potential unfunded state mandate with potentially significant statewide local costs (would trigger Maine constitutional requirements that the state fund at least 90% of any new local costs unless exempted).
  • Net effect: fiscal exposure depends on the final adopted provisions/wording and whether state funding is provided.

Who is affected

  • Direct: School administrative units (districts), school staff (for training), students and event participants (safety benefits), and local emergency medical services (notification and coordination).
  • Indirect: Local budgets (potential equipment, training, and maintenance costs) and the Department of Education (administration of any appropriation and guidance).

Notes

  • The bill was amended during the legislative process; different amendment versions produced materially different fiscal outcomes. The governor’s action will determine whether the law takes effect and whether any state appropriation accompanies the mandate.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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