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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to automated external defibrillators at high-occupancy |
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facilities and mass gatherings. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 779, Health and Safety Code, is amended |
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by adding Sections 779.009 and 779.010 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 779.009. MANDATORY AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR |
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AT HIGH-OCCUPANCY FACILITY. (a) In this section, "high-occupancy |
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facility" means a building or facility that has an occupancy |
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capacity of at least 100 individuals and is open to the public or |
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regularly used for public or private gatherings. The term includes |
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an event venue, banquet hall, gymnasium, fitness center, theater, |
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place of assembly, and any other similar building or facility. |
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(b) A person who owns or operates a high-occupancy facility |
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shall ensure at least one automated external defibrillator is |
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readily available at the facility. The person shall: |
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(1) place the defibrillator in a conspicuous and |
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easily accessible location; |
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(2) post signs clearly indicating the location of the |
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defibrillator; |
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(3) ensure the defibrillator is available while the |
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facility is open to the public or occupied; and |
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(4) maintain and inspect the defibrillator in |
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accordance with Section 779.003. |
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(c) The executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
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Services Commission may adopt rules necessary to implement this |
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section. |
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Sec. 779.010. MANDATORY AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR |
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AT MASS GATHERINGS. (a) This section applies only to an organizer |
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of a public or private gathering at which at least 100 individuals |
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are reasonably expected to attend. |
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(b) An organizer shall ensure at least one automated |
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external defibrillator is readily available at the location at |
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which a gathering described by Subsection (a) is held. The |
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organizer shall: |
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(1) place the defibrillator in a conspicuous and |
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easily accessible area of the location; |
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(2) ensure the defibrillator is available throughout |
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the duration of the gathering; and |
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(3) ensure the defibrillator has been maintained and |
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inspected in accordance with Section 779.003. |
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(c) This section does not require an organizer to provide an |
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automated external defibrillator if the location at which a |
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gathering is held provides access to a defibrillator that meets the |
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requirements of this section. |
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(d) The executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
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Services Commission may adopt rules necessary to implement this |
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section. |
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SECTION 2. (a) Not later than December 1, 2027, the |
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executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission |
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shall adopt rules necessary to implement the changes in law made by |
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this Act. |
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(b) Notwithstanding Sections 779.009 and 779.010, Health |
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and Safety Code, as added by this Act, a person is not required to |
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comply with those sections until January 1, 2028. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2027. |