Existing law exempts from civil liability any person who, in good faith and not for compensation, renders emergency care or treatment by the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) at the scene of an emergency, except in the case of personal injury or wrongful death that results from the gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct of the person who renders emergency care or treatment. Existing law also exempts from civil liability a person or entity that acquires an AED for emergency use, a physician who is involved with the placement of the AED, and any person or entity responsible for the site where the AED is located if specified conditions are met, including maintenance and regular testing of the AED and having a written plan that describes the procedures to be followed in case of an emergency that may involve the use of the AED. Under existing law, those specified conditions also require, when an AED is placed in a public or private K–12 school, the school principal to, among other things, ensure that the school administrators and staff annually receive a brochure, approved as to content and style by the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross, that describes the proper use of an AED, to ensure that similar information is posted next to every AED, and to designate the trained employees who are available to respond to an emergency that may involve the use of an AED during normal operating hours.

This bill would provide an exemption from civil liability for a physician and surgeon or other health care professional that is involved in the selection, placement, or installation of an AED. The bill would require a person or entity, other than a health facility as defined, that acquires an AED to, among other things, comply with specified regulations for the placement of the device and ensure that the AED is maintained and tested as specified. The bill would require a building owner to annually notify the tenants as to the location of the AED units and provide information to tenants about who they can contact if they want to voluntarily take AED or CPR training, to offer a demonstration to at least one person associated with the building as to the use of an AED in an emergency, and post instructions for the use of the AED. The bill would also specify that a medical director or physician and surgeon is not required to be involved in the acquisition or placement of an AED. The bill would make related changes.

This bill would revise the public or private K–12 school provisions described above by instead requiring, when an AED is placed in a public or private K–12 school, the school principal to ensure that the school administrators and staff annually receive information that describes sudden cardiac arrest, the school’s emergency response plan, and the proper use of an AED, by instead requiring the school principal to ensure that instructions, in no less than 14-point type, on how to use the AED are posted next to every AED, and by deleting the requirement that the school principal designate the trained employees who are available to respond to an emergency that may involve the use of an AED during normal operating hours.