SENIOR SENATE PROPOSAL NO. 11

INTRODUCED BY SENIOR SENATOR KIM-SELBY

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SP 11: AUTOMATIC EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR: SIGNAGE.

UNDER EXISTING LAW, UNTIL JULY 1, 2012, HEALTH STUDIOS, AS DEFINED, ARE REQUIRED TO ACQUIRE AN AUTOMATIC EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR AND MAINTAIN AND TRAIN PERSONNEL IN THE USE OF AN AUTOMATIC EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR. EXISTING LAW, BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 2013, ALSO REQUIRES ANY PERSON WHO ACQUIRES AN AUTOMATIC EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR TO COMPLY WITH ALL REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE TRAINING, USE, AND PLACEMENT OF AN AUTOMATIC EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR, NOTIFY AN AGENT OF THE LOCAL EMERGENCY MEDIAL SERVICES AGENCY OF THE EXISTENCE AND LOCATION OF THE AUTOMATIC EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR, AND MAINTAIN THE AUTOMATIC EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR, AS SPECIFIED. EXISTING LAW ALSO PROVIDES PROTECTION FROM CIVIL LIABILITY FOR ANY PERSON WHO, IN GOOD FAITH AND NOT FOR COMPENSATION, RENDERS EMERGENCY CARE OR TREATMENT BY THE USE OF AN AUTOMATIC EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR, OR FOR ANY PERSON WHO HAS COMPLETED A BASIC CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION COURSE, AND WHO, IN GOOD FAITH, RENDERS EMERGENCY CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION, AS SPECIFIED.

THIS MEASURE WOULD MEMORIALIZE THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR TO ENACT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD RECOMMEND THE ADOPTION OF A UNIVERSAL SYMBOL INDICATING THE EXISTENCE OF AN AUTOMATIC EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR, AND WOULD RECOMMEND THAT PLACEMENT OF A SIGN WITH THE UNIVERSAL SYMBOL BE REQUIRED ON THE OUTSIDE OF ANY PUBLIC OR PRIVATE BUILDING THAT MAINTAINS AN AUTOMATIC EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR.

VOTE: MAJORITY.

SP 11: RELATING TO AUTOMATIC EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR SIGNAGE

WHEREAS, UNDER EXISTING LAW, CIVIL LIABILITY PROTECTION IS PROVIDED TO ANY PERSON WHO COMPLETES A BASIC CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION OR AUTOMATIC EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR COURSE THAT COMPLIES WITH REGULATIONS ADOPTED BY EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES AND THE STANDARDS ADOPTED BY THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION OR THE AMERICAN RED CROSS FOR CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION AND EMERGENCY CARDIAC CARE; AND

WHEREAS, SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST CLAIMS APPROXIMATELY 325,000 LIVES IN THE UNITED STATES EACH YEAR. THE COMMON CAUSE OF SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST IS VENTRICULAR FIBRILLATION WHEN THE HEART’S ELECTRICAL IMPULSES BECOME IRREGULAR AND THE HEART IS UNABLE TO PUMP OXYGEN-RICH BLOOD THROUGH THE BODY. SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST IS A MAJOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM AND A LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN THE UNITED STATES. CURRENTLY, A PERSON WHO SUFFERS SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST OUTSIDE OF A HOSPITAL HAS A 6.4 PERCENT CHANCE OF SURVIVAL; AND

WHEREAS, ONCE A VICTIM HAS SUFFERED A CARDIAC ARREST, EVERY MINUTE THAT PASSES BEFORE RETURNING THE HEART TO A NORMAL RHYTHM DECREASES THE CHANCE OF SURVIVAL BY 10 PERCENT; AND

WHEREAS, COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE IMPLEMENTED PROGRAMS INSURING WIDESPREAD PUBLIC ACCESS TO DEFIBRILLATION COMBINED WITH TRAINING, MAINTENANCE, AND COORDINATION WITH LOCAL EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES HAVE DRAMATICALLY IMPROVED THE SURVIVAL RATES FROM CARDIAC ARREST; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT

RESOLVED, BY THE SENIOR SENATE AND THE SENIOR ASSEMBLY, JOINTLY, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AT ITS 2009 REGULAR SESSION, A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS VOTING THEREFOR, HEREBY PROPOSES THAT A UNIVERSAL SYMBOL INDICATING THE PRESENCE OF A DEFIBRILLATOR SHOULD BE POSTED OUTSIDE THE ENTRANCE IN AN AREA VISIBLE TO THE PUBLIC RATHER THAN ONLY IN THE VICINITY WHERE THE DEVICE IS STORED; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, A UNIVERSAL SYMBOL FOR AN ON-SITE AUTOMATIC EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED SO THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAN RECOGNIZE THE DEFIBRILLATOR SYMBOL IN THE SAME WAY THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAN RECOGNIZE THE SYMBOL INDICATING DISABLED AMENITIES; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, PUBLIC EDUCATIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS AND OTHER FORMS OF MEDIA DISCLOSURES SHOULD DEVELOP PUBLIC RECOGNITION OF THE UNIVERSAL DEFIBRILLATOR SIGNAGE PROPOSED FOR DISPLAY OUTSIDE OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE BUILDINGS CONTAINING A DEFIBRILLATOR DEVICE; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA RESPECTFULLY MEMORIALIZES THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO ENACT APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE CONCERNS SET FORTH IN THIS MEASURE; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT A COPY OF THIS MEASURE BE TRANSMITTED TO THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE, THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

RN 09 16861

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