HOUSE BILL 54

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2025

INTRODUCED BY

Pamelya Herndon and Yanira Gurrola

FOR THE LEGISLATIVE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE

AN ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS; REQUIRING EVERY HIGH SCHOOL TO INSTALL AN AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR; REQUIRING ALL HIGH SCHOOL EMPLOYEES TO BE TRAINED IN THE USE OF AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATORS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. Section 22-33-2 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2014, Chapter 50, Section 2) is amended to read:

     "22-33-2. DEFINITIONS.--As used in the Emergency Medication in Schools Act:

          A. "albuterol" includes albuterol or another inhaled bronchodilator, as recommended by the department of health, for the treatment of respiratory distress;

          B. "albuterol aerosol canister" means a portable drug delivery device packaged with multiple premeasured doses of albuterol;

          C. "anaphylaxis" or "anaphylactic reaction" means a sudden, severe and potentially life-threatening whole-body allergic reaction;

          D. "automated external defibrillator" means a medical device heart monitor and defibrillator that:

                (1) has received approval of its premarket modification filed pursuant to 21 U.S.C. 360(k), from the United States food and drug administration;

                (2) is capable of recognizing cardiac arrest that will respond to defibrillation, ventricular fibrillation or rapid ventricular tachycardia and is capable of determining whether defibrillation should be performed; and

                (3) upon determining that defibrillation should be performed, automatically charges and is capable of delivering an electrical impulse to an individual's heart;

          [D.] E. "emergency medication" means albuterol or epinephrine;

          [E.] F. "epinephrine" includes epinephrine or another medication, as recommended by the department of health, used to treat anaphylaxis until the immediate arrival of emergency medical system responders;

          [F.] G. "epinephrine auto-injector" means a portable, disposable drug delivery device that contains a premeasured single dose of epinephrine;

          [G.] H. "governing body" includes a governing body of a private school;

          [H.] I. "health care practitioner" means a person authorized by the state to prescribe emergency medication;

          [I.] J. "respiratory distress" includes impaired oxygenation of the blood or impaired ventilation of the respiratory system;

          [J.] K. "school" means a public school, charter school or private school;

          [K.] L. "spacer" means a holding chamber that is used to optimize the delivery of albuterol to a person's lungs;

          [L.] M. "stock supply" means an appropriate quantity of emergency medication, as recommended by the department of health; and

          [M.] N. "trained personnel" means a school employee, agent or volunteer who has completed epinephrine administration training documented by the school nurse, school principal or school leader and approved by the department of health and who has been designated by the school principal or school leader to administer epinephrine on a voluntary basis outside of the scope of employment."

     SECTION 2. A new section of the Emergency Medication in Schools Act is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR REQUIRED IN ALL HIGH SCHOOLS.--

          A. No later than January 1, 2026, every high school in the state shall install an automated external defibrillator. Installed automated external defibrillators shall be maintained and tested according to the manufacturer's operational guidelines.

          B. No later than January 1, 2026, the department shall adopt and promulgate rules for the training of high school employees on the use of automated external defibrillators. Each governing body, school district and superintendent shall ensure that an automated external defibrillator training is provided annually to all high school employees. The training course shall be consistent with standards adopted by the American heart association."

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