Summary — HB 1363 (North Dakota): Cardiac emergency response plans for schools and athletic events
Status & key dates
- Introduced: November 15, 2024.
- Passed both chambers, enrolled, signed by the Governor May 1, 2025, and filed with the Secretary of State May 2, 2025.
- Becomes effective in practice beginning with the 2027–28 school year for school compliance provisions.
Purpose / intent
- To improve survival from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) occurring on school property or at school‑sponsored athletic events by requiring schools to adopt written cardiac emergency response plans and ensure placement, accessibility, and maintenance of automated external defibrillators (AEDs), along with training and coordination with emergency services.
Main provisions
1. State template and guidance
- The Department of Health and Human Services, in collaboration with the Superintendent of Public Instruction, must create a customizable cardiac emergency response plan template schools may use. The template must incorporate core elements from the American Heart Association (AHA) or another nationally recognized organization.
Required plan elements (template must require)
- Review and adoption of the plan by the district crisis management team; annual review.
- Activation procedures for the team when someone experiences SCA.
- Placement and routine maintenance of AEDs on school grounds per AHA or similar guidelines.
- Distribution/accessibility of the plan on school grounds.
- Specification of appropriate staff (including licensed coaches, school nurses, athletic trainers) to receive training.
- Coordination with local emergency medical services (EMS).
- Annual review and evaluation of the plan.
School obligations (effective 2027–28 school year)
- Using the state template, each public and nonpublic school shall develop a cardiac emergency response plan to be included in the district crisis management plan.
- Place AEDs on school grounds and at athletic venues/events according to AHA/emergency cardiovascular care guidelines.
- Identify AEDs with signage and make them available in unlocked locations so an AED can be retrieved and placed on an individual experiencing cardiac arrest in under three minutes whenever circumstances permit.
Liability protection
- Schools, school boards and individual board members, administrators, principals, teachers, employees, and members of the district crisis management team (students or adults) are immune from liability for injuries resulting from acts or omissions while carrying out elements of an approved cardiac emergency response plan.
Related statutory amendments
- School approval/certification statutes for public and nonpublic schools (sections 15.1‑06‑06 and 15.1‑06‑06.1) were amended to require that a school has a cardiac emergency response plan under the new section as part of the certification/compliance reports.
Who is affected
- All public and nonpublic K‑12 schools in North Dakota, their boards and administrators, licensed coaches, school nurses, athletic trainers, other school personnel, students, visitors, and local EMS providers. Nonpublic schools are treated similarly to public schools for plan requirements.
Potential impacts / considerations
- Implementation costs: purchase of AEDs where not present, signage, secure but unlocked storage, routine maintenance, and training (CPR/AED/first aid) for designated personnel—these are likely to create one‑time and ongoing local costs.
- Operational: schools must integrate plans into crisis management processes and coordinate with EMS.
- Public health benefit: faster recognition and defibrillation for SCA increases survival odds; the three‑minute retrieval target aligns with best‑practice response times.
- Legal: broad immunity provision reduces civil liability concerns for personnel acting under the plan.
Procedural notes
- The bill evolved through multiple amendments (including draft templates and optional vs. mandatory language) before conference committee and final enrollment. Committee reports and amendment texts refined requirements such as the effective school‑year start (2027–28) and the responsible state agencies for issuing the template.
For further detail
- The enacted text specifies exact statutory placement (new section to NDCC chapter 15.1‑02) and the requirements summarized above; readers seeking implementation specifics (e.g., exact AED placement guidance or training frequency) should consult the DHHS/Superintendent template once published.
