Bill > S852

This bill expands immunity from civil liability for individuals who acquire or use an automated external defibrillator (AED), a device that can restore a normal heart rhythm during sudden cardiac arrest. The legislation aims to encourage the wider availability and use of AEDs by clarifying that individuals who acquire or provide an AED, or who assist in or attempt to use one in good faith during an emergency, are protected from lawsuits for personal injury resulting from that care, as long as they have complied with the act's requirements. Importantly, the bill also grants immunity to laypersons, meaning individuals without formal medical training, who use an AED in good faith during an emergency, even if they fail to call for emergency medical assistance, and protects entities providing AEDs from liability for a layperson's use of the device. The bill also amends existing laws to require health clubs, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities to acquire and maintain AEDs, ensure employees are trained in their use, and that employees request emergency medical assistance when an AED is used.