SRC-MKV C.S.H.B. 821 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research CenterC.S.H.B. 821 77R15951 CAS-DBy: Giddings (Bivins) Education 5/10/2001 Committee Report (Substituted) DIGEST AND PURPOSE The American Heart Association estimates that each day more than 95 percent of Americans who suffer sudden cardiac arrest die before reaching the hospital. Additionally, at least 50,000 lives could be saved each year if the national sudden cardiac arrest survival rate could be increased from five percent to 20 percent or higher. One course of action that might increase survival rates is the chain of survival, a four-step process of providing treatment to victims of sudden cardiac arrest which includes administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). More lives could potentially be saved if more people were skilled in CPR. C.S.H.B. 821 requires a school district to offer a CPR course to students at or above the ninth grade level. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the commissioner of education in SECTION 1 (Section 7.025, Education Code) and SECTION 2 (Section 29.903, Education Code) of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 7B, Education Code, by adding Section 7.025, as follows: Sec. 7.025. DONATIONS FOR USE RELATED TO CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION (CPR) INSTRUCTION. (a) Authorizes the Texas Education Agency (agency) to accept donations, including donations of equipment, for use in providing CPR instruction for students. Requires the agency to distribute the donations to school districts that provide CPR instruction to students under Section 29.903, and authorizes the agency to use a portion of the donations to the extent necessary to pay administrative expenses related to the donations. (b) Authorizes the commissioner of education (commissioner) to adopt rules as necessary to implement this section. SECTION 2. Amends Chapter 29Z, Education Code, by adding Section 29.903, as follows: Sec. 29.903. CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION (CPR) INSTRUCTION; DONATIONS TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS FOR USE IN CPR INSTRUCTION. (a) Authorizes a school district that provides instruction to students in the principles and techniques of CPR to accept from the agency donations the agency receives under Section 7.025. Requires the district to use those donations in providing instruction to students in the principles and techniques of CPR. Authorizes a district to accept other donations, including donations of equipment, for use in proving the instruction. (b) Requires the district, to the extent that resources are available to a school district under Section 7.025 or this section, to provide instruction to students in the principles and techniques of CPR. (c) Authorizes a district to use resources other than those made available under Section 7.025 or this section to provide instruction to students in the principles and techniques of CPR. (d) Authorizes the commissioner to adopt rules as necessary to implement this section. SECTION 3. Sets forth legislative intent. SECTION 4. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001.