(INDIANAPOLIS) - Advocates are urging Indiana lawmakers to reconsider changes to a school safety proposal that removed requirements for cardiac emergency planning and access to automated external defibrillators.
The original proposal would have required schools to plan for cardiac emergencies and ensure AEDs were available during sporting events and other after-school activities. Lawmakers later removed those provisions from a broader education bill now headed for a vote in the Indiana House of Representatives.
According to WTHR-TV, supporters say the proposal does not require schools to buy large numbers of AEDs. Julie West, whose son died after suffering cardiac arrest during football practice, said the measure is meant to make sure schools are prepared to respond when emergencies happen.
Advocates say having a plan in place could save lives and improve response times during critical situations involving students and athletes.
The Indiana House is expected to vote on the revised proposal next week. If approved, it would move to the state Senate for consideration.