20250SB__094598AMD INTRODUCED 2026-02-02 AMENDED_SENATE 2026-04-06 REVISED 2026-06-18 2025 SB AMD Introduced by Senator Weber Pierson (Coauthors: Senators Caballero, Padilla, and Richardson) (Coauthors: Assembly Members Alanis, Davies, Garcia, Sharp-Collins, and Wallis) LEAD_AUTHOR SENATE Weber Pierson COAUTHOR SENATE Caballero COAUTHOR SENATE Padilla COAUTHOR SENATE Richardson COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Alanis COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Davies COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Garcia COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Sharp-Collins COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Wallis

An act to add

Section to the Education Code, relating to pupil instruction. pupil instruction School curriculum: physical education framework: cardiopulmonary resuscitation: automated external defibrillators. Existing law requires the governing board of a school district or the governing body of a charter school that requires a course in health education for graduation from high school to include instruction in performing compression-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), as provided.

Existing law also encourages those entities to provide to pupils general information on the use and importance of an automated external defibrillators (AED). Existing law further requires the State Department of Education to provide guidance on how to implement these provisions, including, but not limited to, who may provide instruction.

This bill would instead require, commencing with the 2027–28 school year, the governing board of a school district or the governing body of a charter school that maintains any of grades to 12, inclusive, to provide instruction in performing compression-only CPR and how to use an AED as part of a course required for graduation.

The bill would also require the department to provide guidance on how to implement these provisions before the commencement of the 2027–28 school year.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>By imposing additional duties on local educational agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state.

Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.</xhtml:p>"?> Existing law establishes the Instructional Quality Commission and requires the commission to, among other things, recommend curriculum frameworks to the State Board of Education.

This bill would require the commission, when the physical education framework is next revised after January 1, 2027, to consider including content on the importance, performance, and use of CPR and AEDs in that framework. MAJORITY NO YES NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (

a) According to data from Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (CARES), sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a leading cause of death in the United States, with more than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occurring annually and nearly percent resulting in death; California has the highest number of cardiac arrests with one of the nation’s lowest survival rates at just 8.7 percent, which is in part attributed to only percent of individuals suffering a cardiac arrest receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and approximately percent receiving a shock from an automated external defibrillator (AED). (

b) Cardiac arrest can occur without warning and affects individuals of all ages, including approximately 23,000 children under years of age each year outside of a hospital setting. (

c) Survival from SCA is highly time sensitive, with a victim’s chance of survival decreasing by to percent for every minute without CPR or defibrillation. (

d) Immediate bystander intervention using CPR and AED can double or triple a victim’s chance of survival, yet many individuals do not act due to lack of training or confidence. (

e) National medical experts, including the American College of Cardiology, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Heart Association, identify widespread CPR and AED education as a critical, evidence-based strategy to improve survival rates and recommend that pupils receive training before graduating high school. (

f) Schools are uniquely positioned to provide universal access to CPR and AED instruction, and research shows that pupils can effectively learn these skills through brief, scalable training. (

g) However, current law links CPR instruction to the presence of a health education course, resulting in inconsistent implementation across local educational agencies and, according to data from the State Department of Education, resulting in an estimated percent (758,000) of California’s public high school pupils being excluded from this learning. (

h) As a result, pupil access to CPR and AED training varies based on local curriculum decisions, creating inequitable access to lifesaving skills. (

i) These disparities disproportionately affect pupils in underresourced communities, where access to health education courses is less consistent, with percent of excluded pupils identifying as other than White and percent identified as having a socioeconomically disadvantaged status, according to data from the State Department of Education. (

j) At the same time, significant inequities exist in cardiac arrest outcomes: individuals in low-income communities and communities of color are less likely to receive bystander CPR, and Black and Hispanic individuals experience lower rates of intervention compared to White individuals. (

k) These disparities contribute to lower survival rates and reflect broader inequities in access to emergency preparedness and health education. (

l) Physical education is a standard requirement for high school pupils, providing a universal point of access that reaches all pupils regardless of whether a local educational agency requires a health education course. (

m) Incorporating CPR and AED training into the physical education curriculum framework would ensure consistent, statewide access to lifesaving instruction and eliminate disparities caused by uneven health course requirements. (

n) The Instructional Quality Commission should consider integrating CPR and AED training into the physical education curriculum framework to promote equitable access and align lifesaving skills instruction with a course required of all pupils. (

o) Expanding universal CPR and AED training in high schools is an evidence-based strategy to increase bystander intervention rates and reduce disparities in survival outcomes. (

p) Emergency medical services often cannot arrive within the critical window needed to prevent death or severe brain injury, making immediate bystander action essential. (

q) Training all pupils before graduation will increase the number of individuals prepared to respond in emergencies and strengthen community resilience. (

r) A majority of states have already adopted CPR training requirements for high school graduation, reflecting a national consensus on the importance of this policy. (

s) CPR and AED training is a low-cost, high-impact intervention that equips pupils with practical, lifesaving skills.

SEC. 2.

Section is added to the Education Code , immediately following

Section 33548 , to read: 33549.

When the physical education framework is next revised after January 1, 2027, the commission shall consider including content on the importance, performance, and use of compression-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillators in that framework. <caml:Num>SECTION 1.</caml:Num><caml:ActionLine action="IS_AMENDED" xlink:href="urn:caml:codes:EDC:caml#xpointer(%2Fcaml%3ALawDoc%2Fcaml%3ACode%2Fcaml%3ALawHeading%5B%40type%3D'TITLE'%20and%20caml%3ANum%3D'2.'%5D%2Fcaml%3ALawHeading%5B%40type%3D'DIVISION'%20and%20caml%3ANum%3D'4.'%5D%2Fcaml%3ALawHeading%5B%40type%3D'PART'%20and%20caml%3ANum%3D'28.'%5D%2Fcaml%3ALawHeading%5B%40type%3D'CHAPTER'%20and%20caml%3ANum%3D'2.'%5D%2Fcaml%3ALawHeading%5B%40type%3D'ARTICLE'%20and%20caml%3ANum%3D'3.'%5D%2Fcaml%3ALawSection%5Bcaml%3ANum%3D'51225.6.'%5D)" xlink:label="fractionType: LAW_SECTION" xlink:type="locator">Section 51225.6 of the <caml:DocName>Education Code</caml:DocName> is amended to read:</caml:ActionLine><caml:Fragment><caml:LawSection id="id_FC45D2D3-31E0-4BC9-BF83-2713C61CACCC"><caml:Num>51225.6.</caml:Num><caml:LawSectionVersion id="id_5B04E1EF-98D7-46F5-9BDC-D9680F8D0EBB"><caml:Content><xhtml:p>(a)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Commencing with the 2027–28 school year, the governing board of a school district or the governing body of a charter school maintaining any of grades to 12, inclusive, shall provide instruction in performing compression-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED) as part of a course required for graduation.

This instruction shall include all of the following:</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(1)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>An instructional program based on national evidence-based emergency cardiovascular care guidelines for the performance of compression-only CPR, such as those developed by the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(2)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Instruction to pupils relative to the psychomotor skills necessary to perform compression-only CPR.

For purposes of this paragraph, “psychomotor skills” means skills that pupils are required to perform as hands-on practice to support cognitive learning.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(3)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>(A)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Instruction to pupils on the use and importance of an AED.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p> (B)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>If no AED is available, subparagraph (

A) may be satisfied through the use of free, online video resources.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(b)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Before the commencement of the 2027–28 school year, the department shall provide guidance on how to implement this section, including, but not limited to, who may provide instruction pursuant to this section.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(c)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>The governing board of a school district or the governing body of a charter school may adopt policies to implement this section.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(d)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>(1)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>The governing board of a school district or the governing body of a charter school providing instruction in performing compression-only CPR and the use of an AED pursuant to this

section is encouraged to use the most cost-effective means possible to implement that requirement.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(2)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>This

section shall not be construed to require the governing board of a school district or the governing body of a charter school to make any purchases, including, but not limited to, purchasing an AED.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(e)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>(1)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>A local agency, entity of state or local government, or other public or private organization that sponsors, authorizes, supports, finances, or supervises the instruction of pupils in compression-only CPR or the use of an AED pursuant to this

section shall not be liable for any civil damages alleged to result from the acts or omissions of an individual who received that instruction.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(2)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>A public employee who provides or facilitates the instruction of pupils in compression-only CPR or the use of an AED pursuant to this

section shall not be liable for any civil damages alleged to result from the acts or omissions of an individual who received that instruction.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(3)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>This subdivision shall not be construed to grant immunity from civil damages to any person who provides or facilitates the instruction of pupils in compression-only CPR or the use of an AED in a manner that constitutes gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct.</xhtml:p></caml:Content></caml:LawSectionVersion></caml:LawSection></caml:Fragment></caml:BillSection><caml:BillSection id="id_B36075B1-2CF0-46DC-9547-85C880700A54"><caml:Num>SEC. 2.</caml:Num><caml:Content><xhtml:p>If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to

Part 7 (commencing with

Section 17500) of Division of Title of the Government Code.</xhtml:p></caml:Content></caml:BillSection>"?> REVISIONS: Heading—Line 2.