Requires certain golf courses to maintain automated external defibrillator.

A2296

ASSEMBLY, No. 2296

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman MARGIE DONLON, M.D.

District 11 (Monmouth)

Assemblyman WILLIAM B. SAMPSON, IV

District 31 (Hudson)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman Morales

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires certain golf courses to maintain automated
external defibrillator.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.

��

An Act
concerning golf courses and automated external
defibrillators and supplementing Title 2A of the New Jersey Statutes.

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

���� 1.��� a.� As used in this act,
"golf course" means a publically-owned or privately-owned tract of
land that contains a regulation-sized, minimum 18-hole course consisting mostly
of par-4 holes with a mix of par-3 and par-5 holes that is open to the general
public.� "Golf course" shall not mean a 9-hole course, an executive
course, a par-3 course, a driving range complex, a miniature golf course, or
other such lesser-sized golf facilities.

���� b.��� No later than one year
after the effective date of this act, the owner or operator of a golf course
shall:

���� (1)�� acquire at least one
automated external defibrillator as defined in section 2 of P.L.1999, c.34
(C.2A:62A-24), and store it in an accessible location within the golf course
that is known and available to the employees of the golf course; and

���� (2)�� ensure that the
automated external defibrillator is tested and maintained, and provide
notification to the appropriate first aid, ambulance, or rescue squad, or other
appropriate emergency medical services provider regarding the defibrillator,
the type acquired, and its location, pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1999, c.34
(C.2A:62A-25).

���� c.���� The owner or operator
of a golf course that is subject to the provisions of subsection b. of this
section shall:

���� (1)�� arrange and pay for
training in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and the use of an automated external
defibrillator for the employees of that golf course in accordance with the
provisions of paragraph (2) of this subsection;

���� (2)�� ensure that the golf
course has at least one employee on site during its normal business hours who
holds current certification from the American Red Cross, American Heart
Association, or other training program recognized by the Department of Health
in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and use of a defibrillator; and

���� (3)�� ensure that an employee
who uses a defibrillator requests emergency medical assistance from the
appropriate first aid, ambulance, or rescue squad as soon as practicable.

���� 2.��� A person who violates
the provisions of section 1 of this act shall be liable to a civil penalty of
not less than $250 for the first violation, not less than $500 for the second
violation, and not less than $1,000 for the third and each subsequent violation.

���� The penalty shall be collected
pursuant to the "Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999," P.L.1999, c.274
(C.2A:58-10 et seq.), in a summary proceeding before the municipal court having
jurisdiction.� An official authorized by statute or ordinance to enforce the
State or local health codes or a law enforcement officer having enforcement
authority in that municipality may issue a summons for a violation of the
provisions of section 1 of this act, and the official or officer may serve and
execute all process with respect to the enforcement of this section, consistent
with the Rules of Court.

���� A penalty recovered under the
provisions of this section shall be recovered by, and in the name of, the State
by the local health agency.� The penalty shall be paid into the treasury of the
municipality in which the violation occurred for the general uses of the
municipality.

���� 3.��� A golf course that is
subject to the provisions of this act shall be immune from civil or criminal
liability resulting from the malfunctioning of an automated external
defibrillator that has been maintained and tested by the golf course according
to the manufacturer's operational guidelines, pursuant to section 3 of
P.L.1999, c.34 (C.2A:62A-25), as required in paragraph (2) of subsection b. of
section 1 of this act.

���� The immunity provided in this
section shall be in addition to the immunity provided pursuant to section 5 of
P.L.1999, c.34 (C.2A:62A-27).

���� 4.��� The Commissioner of
Health, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968,
c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), shall adopt rules and regulations to effectuate the
purposes of this act.

���� 5.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill requires certain
golf courses to maintain an automated external defibrillator.

���� The bill defines "golf
course" to mean a publically-owned or privately-owned tract of land that
contains a regulation-sized, minimum 18-hole course consisting mostly of par-4
holes with a mix of par-3 and par-5 holes that is open to the general public.�
"Golf course" does not mean a 9-hole course, an executive course, a
par-3 course, a driving range complex, a miniature golf course, or other such
lesser-sized golf facilities.

���� No later than one year after
the bill�s effective date, the owner or operator of a golf course is to:� (1)
acquire at least one automated external defibrillator, and store it in an
accessible location within the golf course that is known and available to the
employees of the golf course; and (2) ensure that the automated external
defibrillator is tested and maintained, and provide notification to the
appropriate first aid, ambulance, or rescue squad, or other appropriate
emergency medical services provider regarding the defibrillator, the type
acquired, and its location.

���� Under the bill, the owner or
operator of a golf course is to:� (1) arrange and pay for training in
cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and the use of an automated external
defibrillator for the employees of that golf course; (2) ensure that the golf
course has at least one employee on site during its normal business hours who
holds current certification from the American Red Cross, American Heart
Association, or other training program recognized by the Department of Health
in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and use of a defibrillator; and(3) ensure
that an employee who uses a defibrillator requests emergency medical assistance
from the appropriate first aid, ambulance, or rescue squad as soon as
practicable.

���� The bill provides that a
person who violates the bill�s provisions is to be liable to a civil penalty of
not less than $250 for the first violation, not less than $500 for the second
violation, and not less than $1,000 for the third and each subsequent violation.