SENATE, No. 2424

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

218th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED APRIL 5, 2018

 


 

Sponsored by:

Senator  BOB ANDRZEJCZAK

District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)

Senator  JEFF VAN DREW

District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Requires local recreation departments and youth serving organizations to have defibrillators for youth athletic events.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  


An Act concerning automated external defibrillators and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and supplementing Title 5 of the Revised Statutes.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    This act shall be known and may be cited as the “Michael Fisher Law.”

 

     2.  a.  Beginning September 1, 2018, a municipal or county recreation department and a nonprofit youth serving organization as defined in section 1 of P.L.1999, c.432 (C.15A:3A-1) including, but not limited to, Little Leagues, Babe Ruth Leagues, Pop Warner Leagues, Police Athletic Leagues, and youth soccer leagues, which organizes, sponsors, or is otherwise affiliated with youth athletic events that are played on municipal, county, school, or other publicly-owned fields, shall ensure that there is available on site an automated external defibrillator, as defined in section 2 of P.L.1999, c.34 (C.2A:62A-24), at each youth athletic event and practice held on the department’s or organization’s home field.

     b.    A recreation department or youth serving organization shall be deemed to be in compliance with the requirements of this section if a State-certified emergency services provider or other certified first responder is on site at the athletic event or practice and has a defibrillator available for use on site.

     c.  Notwithstanding the provisions of P.L.1999, c.34 (C.2A:62A-23 et seq.) to the contrary, a recreation department or youth serving organization and its employees and volunteer umpires, coaches, and licensed athletic trainers shall be immune from civil liability in the acquisition and use of a defibrillator.

 

     3.    This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     The bill requires that beginning on September 1, 2018, municipal or county recreation departments and nonprofit youth serving organizations, which organize, sponsor, or are otherwise affiliated with youth athletic events that are played on municipal, county, school, or other publicly-owned fields, must ensure that there is available on site an automated external defibrillator (AED) at each youth athletic event and practice held on the department’s or organization’s home field. 

     A recreation department or youth serving organization will be deemed to be in compliance with the AED requirement if a State-certified emergency services provider or other certified first responder is on site at the athletic event or practice and has an AED available for use on site.  A recreation department or youth serving organization and its employees, umpires, coaches, and licensed athletic trainers will be immune from civil liability in the acquisition and use of an AED.