PRINTER'S NO. 1180
No. 976 Session of 2003
INTRODUCED BY J. EVANS, SOLOBAY, COLEMAN, BEBKO-JONES, BUNT,
CAWLEY, CURRY, DALEY, DALLY, DeWEESE, GEIST, GEORGE,
HENNESSEY, HORSEY, LEACH, MANDERINO, PHILLIPS, READSHAW,
REICHLEY, WASHINGTON, YOUNGBLOOD AND COSTA, APRIL 2, 2003
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, APRIL 2, 2003
AN ACT
1 Providing for registration of automated external defibrillators
2 and for a fee.
3 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
4 hereby enacts as follows:
5 Section 1. Short title.
6 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Automated
7 External Defibrillator Registration Act.
8 Section 2. Purpose and intent.
9 The use of automated external defibrillators in this
10 Commonwealth has had a demonstrably positive impact on saving
11 the lives of persons in cardiac arrest. It is the intent of the
12 General Assembly that access to automated external
13 defibrillators be made widely available to emergency medical
14 services and fire and police departments throughout this
15 Commonwealth. The establishment of a Statewide registry of
16 automated external defibrillators will assist emergency
1 personnel in saving the lives of citizens when responding to
2 emergencies.
3 Section 3. Definitions.
4 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
5 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
6 context clearly indicates otherwise:
7 "Automated external defibrillator." A portable device which
8 uses electric shock to restore a stable heart rhythm to an
9 individual in cardiac arrest.
10 "Department." The Department of Health of the Commonwealth.
11 "Extended relocation." A relocation of the automated
12 external defibrillator from its registered location for a period
13 of 14 consecutive days or more.
14 Section 4. Automated external defibrillator registry.
15 (a) Establishment.--There shall be established in the
16 department's Emergency Medical Services Office a registry for
17 automated external defibrillators in this Commonwealth. The
18 department shall release information from the registry to the
19 emergency medical service regional councils who shall then
20 provide the information to 911 operations centers. In an
21 emergency, the operations centers shall provide information from
22 the registry to the first responders to the emergency through
23 the 911 system.
24 (b) Contents.--The registry shall include the address and
25 precise permanent location of the automated external
26 defibrillator.
27 (c) Fee.--The department shall implement a registration fee
28 for any automated external defibrillator registered under this
29 act which shall be in an amount necessary only to pay for the
30 costs of establishing and maintaining the automated external
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1 defibrillator registry.
2 Section 5. Registration.
3 (a) Requirements.--Except as provided in section 6, any
4 person who has purchased an automated external defibrillator on
5 or after the effective date of this act shall register the unit
6 in the automated external defibrillator registry established in
7 section 4 within 30 days of acquisition of the automated
8 external defibrillator. Any person who has purchased an
9 automated external defibrillator before the effective date of
10 this act may register the unit in the automated external
11 defibrillator registry established in section 4.
12 (b) Relocation.--Any person that has registered an automated
13 external defibrillator pursuant to subsection (a) shall provide
14 the registry with notice of an extended relocation of the
15 automated external defibrillator.
16 (c) Written notice.--Manufacturers and distributors of
17 automated external defibrillators shall provide written notice
18 to purchasers of automated external defibrillators in this
19 Commonwealth concerning the requirements of this act.
20 Section 6. Applicability.
21 Any person that has purchased an automated external
22 defibrillator which is located in a private residence shall not
23 be required to register the automated external defibrillator
24 under this act. Nothing in this section shall prevent a person
25 that has purchased an automated external defibrillator which is
26 located in a private residence from voluntarily registering
27 under this act.
28 Section 7. Regulations.
29 The Department of Health is authorized to promulgate rules
30 and regulations to carry out the provisions of this act.
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1 Section 8. Effective date.
2 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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