Bill > HB2635

This bill adds a new section to the Texas Health and Safety Code that allows counties and municipalities to require the installation and maintenance of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in certain structures after holding a public hearing. Counties and municipalities can specify which structures must have AEDs and their minimum number and placement, but cannot apply these requirements to health facilities or premises with 30 or fewer occupants. Before implementing such requirements, local governing bodies must consult with fire marshals, fire chiefs, or emergency officials. The bill prohibits charging application or inspection fees for AED requirements and provides a variance process to protect small businesses. Counties cannot impose AED requirements in municipalities that have already adopted their own ordinances, and municipalities can extend their requirements to their extraterritorial jurisdictions. Importantly, the bill includes a liability protection clause that shields counties, municipalities, and their officials from legal responsibility for regulating or failing to regulate AEDs. The new law is set to take effect on September 1, 2025, giving local governments time to prepare and implement the new regulations.

Government Affairs

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB2635