Legislation & Advocacy
Through local, state, and federal laws and advocacy bills, WWPF has worked alongside our partners to educate millions on the immense public health crisis that is SCA. WWPF and our partners focus on legislation and advocacy related to:
ECG heart screenings for students and young adults
AED placement and accessibility
Cardiac emergency response plan
Cardiac risk assessment in students and young adults
CPR training
SCA prevention training
Highlight of Current Major Legislative, Policy, and Advocacy Initiatives
Law Not Luck Collaboration
Law Not Luck is a collaborative movement with a mission of protecting young hearts and saving lives from SCA. Check out more about the Law Not Luck movement at: https://lawnotluck.org. An overview of some of the proposed legislation (as of April 2021) includes:
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House Bill 157 introduced by Rep. Fred hawkins, Jr., will empoart high school students with at least (1) hour of training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to use an automated external defibrillator (AED), thus creating the next generation of life-savers.
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In the House Bill, school districts are encouraged to provide basic training in first aid, including CPR and use of an AED for all students in grade 6 and 8. The same training would be required for all students in grade 9 and 11.
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Senate Bill 280 introduced by Sen. Dennis Baxley encourages school districts to provide basic training in first-aid including at least one (1) hour of hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for all students in grades 6 and 8. And it would require school districts to provide basic training in first-aid including at least one (1) hour of hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for all students in grades 9 and 11.
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WWPF is constantly pushing for advances in the number of communities that recommend and/or require ECG heart screenings.
ECG Heart Screening Initiatives
WWPF is constantly pushing for advances in the number of communities that recommend and/or require ECG heart screenings. In 2019, Brevard and Osceola Counties in Florida became the 1st counties in the United States to ensure that every student that participates in an athletic program is REQUIRED to have a ECG preformed as part of the sports physical examination.
Due to the overwhelming success of the program and the number of children that have been identified with deadly conditions over the last two years, several other Florida School Districts have followed on.
As of today, those districts also partnering with Who We Play For are:
Orange County (9th largest county in the United States)
Brevard County
Osceola County
Seminole County
Highland County
Flagler County
Indian River County
Volusia County
CPR & AED Laws Passed
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Brevard County School District now requires CPR and AED training as a graduation requirement
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School districts are ENCOURAGED to provide basic training in first aid, including CPR, for all students beginning in grade 6 and for every two years thereafter.
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Encourages public schools with automated external defibrillators (AEDs), during time allocated under state law for training personnel in emergency first aid and CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), to train personnel in the use of AEDs.
View the Bill
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Beginning June 2021, an automated external defibrillator (AED) is required at all school athletic events, practices, and workouts, along with a school employee or volunteer trained in its use and in the application of CPR. Prior to the law, the state only recommended the training and defibrillators were only required at state playoff and championship games.
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Required CPR/AED training in 9th and 11th grade as a graduation requirement. Empowers high school students with at least one (1) hour of training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and use of an automated external defibrillator (AED), thus creating the next generation of life-savers.
CPR & AED Bills Introduced As of Today
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT!
The Rafe Macarrone Law is in the process of getting passed in the United State House and Senate. This bill works toward preventative measures that would have diagnosed Rafe before his SCA event and will help to save others with life-threatening heart conditions for years to come.
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To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to a local educational agency or private elementary or secondary school, partnered with a public or nonprofit private health care entity, to develop and implement a comprehensive program to promote student access to defibrillation in elementary schools and secondary schools.