Bill
H 3831
Requires every public school district and charter to implement a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan with AEDs, trained staff, drills, and liability protections.
Status & jurisdiction
- Short title: "Smart Heart Act"
- Jurisdiction: South Carolina (amends Title 59, Chapter 17)
- Introduced: Jan 29, 2025
- Committee referral: Education and Public Works
- Key procedural steps: Committee reported favorably with amendment (04/02/2025); amended and passed the House (04/08/2025; roll call 108–0); read third time and sent to Senate (04/09/2025). A hearing is scheduled for 09/16/2025.
Purpose and intent
- To reduce deaths from sudden cardiac arrest in school settings by requiring school districts and charter schools to develop and implement Cardiac Emergency Response Plans (CERPs), ensure appropriate placement and availability of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), mandate staff training and periodic drills, and provide legal immunity for good-faith responders.
Key provisions
1. New statutory section — Section 59-17-165
- Definitions: establishes terms including "Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP)", "Automated External Defibrillator (AED)" (referring to Section 44-76-20), and "Sudden Cardiac Arrest."
- CERP requirement: each public school district or charter school authorizer must develop a written CERP addressing responses to sudden cardiac arrest on school grounds.
- Athletics: districts/charters with interscholastic athletics must include athlete/event-specific response procedures.
- Minimum CERP elements (State Board to adopt standards): school-level cardiac emergency response team; activation protocols; AED placement and routine maintenance; ongoing staff CPR/AED training; periodic drills; integration with local EMS; annual review and evaluation.
- AED placement: must follow evidence-based emergency cardiovascular care guidelines and be accessible on campus and during school-sponsored athletic activities.
- Private schools: private schools or institutions that field teams competing with public/charter schools must comply for those teams.
- Training & funding: appropriate staff training (first aid, CPR, AED) required but expressly “subject to funding by the General Assembly or South Carolina Department of Education.”
- Liability protection: broad civil/criminal immunity for schools, districts, staff, volunteers, and others acting under the statute, except for gross negligence or willful/reckless conduct. CPR/AED use under CERP is not considered the practice of medicine or nursing.
Who is affected
- Public school districts and charter schools (all campuses with athletic programs).
- High schools specifically (existing AED program requirements).
- Private schools or institutions that sponsor teams competing with public/charter schools.
- School staff (coaches, nurses, trainers), students, spectators, and local EMS partners.
- School governing authorities and the State Board of Education (rule-setting and standards).
Implementation & fiscal notes
- Many provisions are conditioned on appropriations; AED procurement, maintenance, and ongoing staff training may impose costs on districts if not fully funded by the state.
- The State Board of Education must adopt standards, and districts must coordinate with local EMS systems.
- Liability protections are intended to encourage prompt response and use of AEDs.
Overall impact
- Establishes a statewide framework to improve readiness for cardiac emergencies in schools through planning, equipment placement, training, and legal protections — while leaving funding-dependent elements subject to appropriation.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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