Alabama AED Law - Funds Appropriations for AED purchase/training

S.B. 351


SB351

By Senator Butler
Enrolled, An Act,
SYNOPSIS:
There is no provision of law for a comprehensive and coordinated state program providing for the training and use of semiautomatic external defibrillators for the out-of-hospital treatment of persons suffering sudden cardiac arrest.

This bill would provide for such a program and make a 3 million dollar conditional appropriation from the General Fund in the State Treasury to the Alabama State Fire College-Shelton Community College to implement and administer the program. The Department of Public Health would establish a program to administer the act.
Relating to health care for persons suffering cardiac arrest outside of a hospital setting; to provide for a comprehensive, coordinated program for the training of emergency medical providers and equipping of providers with semiautomatic external defibrillators; and to provide for a conditional appropriation from the General Fund in the State Treasury to the Alabama State Fire College-Shelton Community College to implement this act.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. The Department of Public Health shall establish a comprehensive cardiac arrest survival plan for the training, credentialing, and certification of primary cardiac care providers in the use of semiautomatic external defibrillators based on national guidelines for life-saving interventions of persons suffering sudden, non-traumatic cardiac arrest promulgated by the National Institutes of Health and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
Section 2. There is conditionally appropriated for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1999, the sum of three million dollars ($3,000,000) from the General Fund in the State Treasury to the Alabama State Fire College-Shelton Community College to implement and administer this act pursuant to Section 3. The appropriation made in this section is conditioned upon the availability of funds in the State General Fund, the recommendation of the Director of Finance, and the approval of the Governor.
Section 3. All funds from the appropriation in this act shall be used to assist in the purchase or acquisition of semiautomatic external defibrillators and training for emergency medical care providers. To be eligible for assistance, emergency medical care providers shall meet standards established by the department. A Cardiac Arrest Survival Commission consisting of the State Health Officer, the State Emergency Medical Director, three members appointed by the Senate President Pro Tempore, three members appointed by the Speaker of the House, two members appointed by the Governor, and one member appointed by the Alabama Chapter of the American Heart Association shall make all awards of assistance by majority vote. The State Health Officer shall serve as chair of the commission. Assistance may be in the form of equipment awarded outright or purchased with matching funds from the provider. The commission shall establish by majority vote the methodology for making awards to eligible providers.
Section 4. This act shall become effective on the first day of the third month following its passage and approval by the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.

Health
Appropriations
General Fund
Emergency Medical Services
Health Department, State
Shelton State Community College
State Fire College
Automated External Defibrillators
Heart Attacks
Defibrillators
Cardiac Arrest Survival Commission