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hb687_01_RH
As Reported by the House Arts, Athletics, and Tourism Committee
136th
General Assembly
Regular
Session
Sub. H. B. No. 687
2025-2026
Representative Schmidt
Cosponsor: Representative Ghanbari
To
amend
sections
755.13, 3313.717, 3314.16, and
3701.851
and to enact section 3701.852 of the Revised Code
regarding
staffing requirements in athletic facilities with staff trained in
automated external defibrillation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation,
placement of automated external defibrillators in school-related
locations, and emergency action plans adopted by sports and
recreation locations and schools.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section
1.
That
sections
755.13, 3313.717, 3314.16, and
3701.851
be amended and section 3701.852 of the Revised Code be enacted to
read as follows:
Sec.
755.13.
(A)
The authority to supervise and maintain parks, playgrounds,
playfields, gymnasiums, public baths, swimming pools, or indoor
recreation centers, may be vested in any existing body or board, or
in a recreation board, as the legislative authority of the municipal
corporation, the board of township trustees, or the board of county
commissioners determines. The local authorities of any such municipal
corporation, township, or county may equip, develop, operate, and
maintain such facilities as authorized by sections 755.12 to 755.18
of the Revised Code. Such local authorities may, for the purpose of
carrying out such sections, employ play leaders, recreation
directors, supervisors, superintendents, or any other officers or
employees, and may procure and pay all or any part of the cost of a
policy or policies insuring such officers or employees against
liability on account of damage or injury to persons or property
arising from the performance of their official duties.
(B)
The board of township trustees may expend funds from the township
general fund, or revenue derived from property taxes levied for parks
and recreational purposes, for the public purpose of presenting
community events that are open to the public at such parks,
playgrounds, playfields, gymnasiums, public baths, swimming pools, or
indoor recreation centers.
(C)
The board of county commissioners may adopt rules for the
preservation of good order within parks, playfields, and reservations
of land under its jurisdiction and on adjacent highways, rivers,
riverbanks, and lakes, and the preservation of property and natural
life therein. Such rules shall be published in a newspaper of general
circulation within the county once a week for two consecutive weeks,
or as provided in section 7.16 of the Revised Code, before taking
effect. In counties in which no newspaper is generally circulated,
notice shall be accomplished by posting copies in not less than five
of the most public places in the district, as determined by the board
of county commissioners, for a period of not less than fifteen days
before the rules take effect. The rules shall be enforced by a "law
enforcement officer" as defined in section 2901.01 of the
Revised Code. No person shall violate a rule adopted under this
division. Whoever violates a rule adopted under this division shall
be fined not more than one hundred dollars. If the offender has
previously been convicted of a violation of the rule, the offender
shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars. All fines
collected for any violation of any rule adopted under this division
shall be paid into the general fund of the county treasury.
(D)(1)
Except as provided in division (D)(2) of this section, the
controlling authority of each sports and recreation location shall do
all of the following:
(a)
Require the placement of an automated external defibrillator in each
sports and recreation location, under the authority's control
,
at any time that the location is hosting an organized youth sport
activity
;
(b)
Require that a sufficient number of the staff persons of each sports
and recreation location successfully complete an appropriate training
course in the use of an automated external defibrillator as described
in section 3701.85 of the Revised Code;
(c)
Adopt an emergency action plan for the use of automated external
defibrillators and may use the model plan developed by the department
of health under section 3701.851 of the Revised Code
;
(d)
Require review and evaluation of the adopted emergency action plan at
least annually
.
(2)
Division (D)(1) of this section does not apply to a village if the
population of the village is less than five thousand, and does not
apply to a township if the population of the unincorporated area of
the township is less than five thousand.
(E)
As used in this section:
(1)
"Automated external defibrillator" has the same meaning as
in section 2305.235 of the Revised Code.
(2)
"Sports and recreation location" means indoor recreation
centers and facilities, gymnasiums, swimming pools, and playing
fields that are designated, operated, and maintained for those uses
as authorized by sections 755.12 to 755.18 of the Revised Code.
Sec.
3313.717.
(A)
As used in this section, "automated external defibrillator"
means a specialized defibrillator that is approved for use as a
medical device by the United States food and drug administration for
performing automated external defibrillation, as defined in section
2305.235 of the Revised Code.
(B)(1)
The board of education of each school district shall require the
placement of an automated external defibrillator in each school under
the control of the board
,
and in any other school-related location that is required by the
model plan developed by the department of health under section
3701.851 of the Revised Code
.
Not
later than July 1, 2018, persons employed by a school district shall
receive training pursuant to section 3313.6023 of the Revised Code in
the use of an automated external defibrillator in accordance with
that section.
(2)
The administrative authority of each chartered nonpublic school shall
require the placement of an automated external defibrillator in each
school under the control of the authority
,
and in any other school-related location that is required by the
model plan developed by the department of health under section
3701.851 of the Revised Code
.
The authority also shall require that persons assigned to each school
under the control of the authority, as set forth in division (A) of
section 3313.6023 of the Revised Code, successfully complete an
appropriate training course in the use of an automated external
defibrillator as described in section 3701.85 of the Revised Code.
(3)
Each district board and administrative authority shall adopt an
emergency action plan for the use of automated external
defibrillators and may use the model plan developed by the department
of health under section 3701.851 of the Revised Code
or adopt a plan based on standards set by nationally recognized
organizations
.
The adopted emergency action plan shall be reviewed and evaluated at
least annually.
(C)
In regard to the use of an automated external defibrillator that is
placed in a school
or
school-related location
as
specified in this section, and except in the case of willful or
wanton misconduct or when there is no good faith attempt to activate
an emergency medical services system in accordance with section
3701.85 of the Revised Code, no person shall be held liable in civil
damages for injury, death, or loss to person or property, or held
criminally liable, for performing automated external defibrillation
in good faith, regardless of whether the person has obtained
appropriate training on how to perform automated external
defibrillation or successfully completed a course in cardiopulmonary
resuscitation.
(D)
The department of education and workforce shall develop a procedure
whereby persons may report violations of this section.
Sec.
3314.16.
(A)(1)
As used in this section, "automated external defibrillator"
means a specialized defibrillator that is approved for use as a
medical device by the United States food and drug administration for
performing automated external defibrillation, as defined in section
2305.235 of the Revised Code.
(2)
This section does not apply to an internet- or computer-based
community school.
(B)
The governing authority of a community school established under this
chapter shall require the placement of an automated external
defibrillator in each school under the control of the governing
authority
,
and in any other school-related location that is required by the
model plan developed by the department of health under section
3701.851 of the Revised Code
.
The governing authority also shall require that persons assigned to
each school under the control of the governing authority, as set
forth in division (A) of section 3313.6023 of the Revised Code,
successfully complete an appropriate training course in the use of an
automated external defibrillator as described in section 3701.85 of
the Revised Code.
The
governing authority shall adopt an emergency action plan for the use
of automated external defibrillators and may use the model plan
developed by the department of health under section 3701.851 of the
Revised Code
or adopt a plan based on standards set by nationally recognized
organizations
.
The adopted emergency action plan shall be reviewed and evaluated at
least annually.
(C)
In regard to the use of an automated external defibrillator that is
placed in a community school
or
school-related location
as
specified in this section, and except in the case of willful or
wanton misconduct or when there is no good faith attempt to activate
an emergency medical services system in accordance with section
3701.85 of the Revised Code, no person shall be held liable in civil
damages for injury, death, or loss to person or property, or held
criminally liable, for performing automated external defibrillation
in good faith, regardless of whether the person has obtained
appropriate training on how to perform automated external
defibrillation or successfully completed a course in cardiopulmonary
resuscitation.
(D)
The department of education and workforce shall develop a procedure
whereby persons may report violations of this section.
Sec.
3701.851.
(A)
The
department of health shall develop a model emergency action plan for
the use of automated external defibrillators by public and chartered
nonpublic schools, youth sports organizations,
athletic
facilities, as that term is defined in section 3707.50 of the Revised
Code,
and
sports and recreation locations, as that term is defined in section
755.13 of the Revised Code.
The
model emergency action plan
All
of the following apply to the model emergency action plan:
(1)
It shall be based on standards set by nationally recognized
organizations that are focused on emergency cardiovascular care.
(2)
It
shall
clearly identify locations of automated external defibrillators and
require the plan to be practiced at least quarterly
.
(3)
In the case of public and chartered nonpublic schools, it shall
specify school-related locations, such as athletic facilities and
gymnasiums, playing fields, or other school sports locations, that
require the placement of an automated external defibrillator, as
specified in sections 3313.717 and 3314.16 of the Revised Code.
Required placement at school-related locations may be based on
proximity to the school or other factors the department considers
appropriate after considering any standards set by nationally
recognized organizations that are focused on emergency cardiovascular
care
.
(B)
The
department shall develop a procedure whereby persons may report
violations of section 755.13 of the Revised Code by a sports and
recreation location
,
section 3701.852 of the Revised Code by an athletic facility,
or section 3707.58 of the Revised Code by a youth sports
organization.
Sec.
3701.852.
(A)
As used in this section:
(1)
"Athletic facility" means a privately owned athletic
training, exercise, or sports facility that is open to the public.
(2)
"Automated external defibrillation" has the same meaning as
in section 2305.235 of the Revised Code.
(3)
"Automated external defibrillator" has the same meaning as
in section 3313.717 of the Revised Code.
(B)
Except as provided in division (D) of this section, each athletic
facility that maintains an automated external defibrillator on its
premises shall do the following:
(1)
Require all staff members who may be on premises during hours of
operation to demonstrate competency in using an automated external
defibrillator in accordance with division (B)(2) of this section;
(2)
Train all staff to use an automated external defibrillator based on
the manufacturer's recommendations for the automated external
defibrillator in use on the athletic facility's premises and require
all staff to demonstrate competency using the automated external
defibrillator. Each athletic facility staff member hired on or after
the effective date of this section shall demonstrate competency not
later than ninety days after date of hire and annually thereafter.
Each staff member who is employed by the athletic facility prior to
the effective date of this section shall demonstrate competency not
later than ninety days after the effective date of this section. The
athletic facility shall develop and maintain policy and procedures
for automated external defibrillator competency and maintain
documentation of staff competency.
(3)
Adopt an emergency action plan for the defibrillator's use, which may
be based on the model plan developed by the department of health
under section 3701.851 of the Revised Code.
(C)
Except as provided in division (D) of this section, if an athletic
facility does not maintain an automated external defibrillator on its
premises, it shall have at least one staff member who has
successfully completed a cardiopulmonary resuscitation training
course on duty while customers are on its premises.
(D)
This section does not apply to an athletic facility that does not
have staff or does not have any staff members on duty while customers
are on its premises as part of its regular staffing schedule.
Section
2.
That
existing
sections
755.13, 3313.717, 3314.16, and
3701.851
of the Revised Code
are
hereby
repealed.