Schools in Oregon are already required to have an automated external defibrillator, commonly referred to as an AED.
Under a bill approved by Oregon lawmakers this month, schools would have to make sure their AED is in working order and easily accessible.
HB 4160 would also require coaches to be trained on how to use AEDs. Sen. Noah Robinson, R-Cave Junction, spoke in favor of the bill on the Senate floor, and said it's especially important to have a device nearby during sports events.
"Young athlete, out on the field, collapses," Robinson said. "If you have a defibrillator, you save their life. But, if the defibrillator is in someone's office under a lock and key, if no one knows where it is, it doesn't do you any good."
The American Heart Association, which supported the bill, said having an AED dramatically increases the chance of surviving cardiac arrest.
The bill was approved with minimal opposition in the Oregon House and Senate, and is awaiting a signature from Gov. Tina Kotek. If she signs it, the new requirements would go into effect in summer of 2027.
