S-0890.1

SENATE BILL 5592

BySenators Hunt, Cleveland, Conway, Lovick, Randall, Valdez, Van De Wege, and C. Wilson

AN ACT Relating to requiring semiautomatic external defibrillators at fitness centers; and adding a new section to chapter 70.54 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 70.54 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The owner of a fitness center shall acquire and maintain at least one semiautomatic external defibrillator on premises.

(2) The fitness center must comply with the requirements of RCW 70.54.310, including instruction of personnel on the use of the defibrillator, maintenance of the defibrillator, and notification of the local emergency medical services organization about the location of the defibrillator.

(3) An employee of a fitness center who has completed the instruction required under RCW 70.54.310 may render emergency care or treatment using a semiautomatic external defibrillator on the fitness center premises.

(4) A person who uses a semiautomatic external defibrillator at the scene of an emergency is immune from civil liability pursuant to RCW 70.54.310.

(5)(a) "Fitness center" means any premises used for recreation, instruction, training, physical exercise, body building, weight loss, figure development, martial arts, or other similar activity, that offers access on a membership basis.

(b) "Fitness center" does not include: (i) Public common schools, private schools approved under RCW 28A.195.010, and public or private institutions of higher education; (ii) facilities operated by bona fide nonprofit organizations which have been granted tax-exempt status by the internal revenue service, the functions of which as fitness centers are only incidental to their overall functions; and (iii) private facilities operated out of a home that do not offer memberships.

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