BILL REQ. #:  H-3419.1 

Read first time 01/11/12.   Referred to Committee on Education.

     AN ACT Relating to establishing instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation as a graduation requirement; amending RCW 28A.230.090; adding a new section to chapter 28A.230 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1) The legislature finds that:
     (a) More than three hundred eighty thousand people experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital every year, and only eleven percent survive;
     (b) When administered immediately, cardiopulmonary resuscitation doubles or triples survival rates from cardiac arrest;
     (c) Sudden cardiac arrest can happen to anyone at any time. Many victims appear healthy with no known heart disease or other risk factors;
     (d) Approximately five thousand nine hundred children eighteen years of age and under suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrest each year from all causes, including trauma, cardiovascular causes, and sudden infant death syndrome;
     (e) Five minutes can mean the difference between life and death. If no cardiopulmonary resuscitation is provided or no defibrillation occurs within three to five minutes of collapse, the chances of survival drop significantly.
     (2) Therefore, the legislature intends to create a generation of lifesavers by putting cardiopulmonary resuscitation skills in the hands of all high school graduates in order to change the overall health of our community.

Sec. 2   RCW 28A.230.090 and 2011 c 203 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The state board of education shall establish high school graduation requirements or equivalencies for students, except as provided in RCW 28A.230.122 and except those equivalencies established by local high schools or school districts under RCW 28A.230.097. The purpose of a high school diploma is to declare that a student is ready for success in postsecondary education, gainful employment, and citizenship, and is equipped with the skills to be a lifelong learner.
     (a) Any course in Washington state history and government used to fulfill high school graduation requirements shall consider including information on the culture, history, and government of the American Indian peoples who were the first inhabitants of the state.
     (b) The certificate of academic achievement requirements under RCW 28A.655.061 or the certificate of individual achievement requirements under RCW 28A.155.045 are required for graduation from a public high school but are not the only requirements for graduation.
     (c) Any decision on whether a student has met the state board's high school graduation requirements for a high school and beyond plan shall remain at the local level.
     (d) Successful completion of instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation as provided in section 3 of this act is required for graduation from a public high school beginning with the graduating class of 2016.
     (2)(a) In recognition of the statutory authority of the state board of education to establish and enforce minimum high school graduation requirements, the state board shall periodically reevaluate the graduation requirements and shall report such findings to the legislature in a timely manner as determined by the state board.
     (b) The state board shall reevaluate the graduation requirements for students enrolled in vocationally intensive and rigorous career and technical education programs, particularly those programs that lead to a certificate or credential that is state or nationally recognized. The purpose of the evaluation is to ensure that students enrolled in these programs have sufficient opportunity to earn a certificate of academic achievement, complete the program and earn the program's certificate or credential, and complete other state and local graduation requirements.
     (c) The state board shall forward any proposed changes to the high school graduation requirements to the education committees of the legislature for review and to the quality education council established under RCW 28A.290.010. The legislature shall have the opportunity to act during a regular legislative session before the changes are adopted through administrative rule by the state board. Changes that have a fiscal impact on school districts, as identified by a fiscal analysis prepared by the office of the superintendent of public instruction, shall take effect only if formally authorized and funded by the legislature through the omnibus appropriations act or other enacted legislation.
     (3) Pursuant to any requirement for instruction in languages other than English established by the state board of education or a local school district, or both, for purposes of high school graduation, students who receive instruction in American sign language or one or more American Indian languages shall be considered to have satisfied the state or local school district graduation requirement for instruction in one or more languages other than English.
     (4) If requested by the student and his or her family, a student who has completed high school courses before attending high school shall be given high school credit which shall be applied to fulfilling high school graduation requirements if:
     (a) The course was taken with high school students, if the academic level of the course exceeds the requirements for seventh and eighth grade classes, and the student has successfully passed by completing the same course requirements and examinations as the high school students enrolled in the class; or
     (b) The academic level of the course exceeds the requirements for seventh and eighth grade classes and the course would qualify for high school credit, because the course is similar or equivalent to a course offered at a high school in the district as determined by the school district board of directors.
     (5) Students who have taken and successfully completed high school courses under the circumstances in subsection (4) of this section shall not be required to take an additional competency examination or perform any other additional assignment to receive credit.
     (6) At the college or university level, five quarter or three semester hours equals one high school credit.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 28A.230 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Each school district that operates a high school shall make instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation as provided in this section available to students. Successful completion of the instruction is a requirement for graduation beginning with the graduating class of 2016.
     (2) Instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation under this section must:
     (a) Be an instructional program developed by the American heart association or the American red cross or be nationally recognized and based on the most current national evidence-based emergency cardiovascular care guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation;
     (b) Include appropriate use of an automated external defibrillator; and
     (c) Incorporate hands-on practice and skills testing in addition to cognitive learning.
     (3) School districts may offer the instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation directly or arrange for the instruction to be provided by available community-based providers. The instruction is not required to be provided by a certificated teacher. Certificated teachers providing the instruction are not required to be certified trainers of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. A student is not required to earn certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation to successfully complete the instruction for the purposes of this section. Students may complete the instruction at any time, including before entering high school, and from any provider, as long as the instruction meets the requirements of subsection (2) of this section.