SENATOR MARK HASS DISTRICT 14 - BEAVERTON CHAIR, SENATE EDUCATION & GENERAL GOVERNMENT

Press Advisory

March 16, 2009

CONTACT: Molly Woon (503) 986-1074

Legislation to expand access to defibrillators in public places

will be heard tomorrow morning

SALEM—The Senate Health Care & Veterans’ Affairs Committee will hear legislation tomorrow morning that would require certain places of public assembly to have automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, on site. SB 556 would also require that an employee certified to use the machine be present when the place of assembly is open to the public.    

“These machines save lives,” said Sen. Mark Hass (D-Beaverton), chief sponsor of the bill. “AEDs are the fire extinguishers of the 21^st century and the sooner more are available in public places the more lives that will be saved.”

Since 2005, Hass has worked with advocates and health care organizations to promote expanding availability of AEDs. During the 2005 session, he worked to pass legislation requiring AEDs in health clubs and making them available in schools. SB 556 builds on this work by requiring AEDs in public buildings larger than 50,000 square feet. Schools and places of worship are exempt from the requirement.

Details on tomorrow’s hearing are as follows:

WHAT:           First public hearing of SB 556 in the Senate Health Care & Veterans’ Affairs Committee

WHO:             Sen. Mark Hass, chief sponsor of SB 556

Teena Johnson, whose son, Eddie Barnett Jr., was a Grant High School basketball

 player when he collapsed during a game and died. She is an AED activist.

Shirley Schoeler, whose daughter’s life was saved because of an AED.

Cardiologists from OHSU and the American Heart Association.

A representative from the American Heart Association who will demonstrate how

 to use an AED.

WHEN:           Tuesday, March 17, 2009 at 9:00 AM

WHERE:         Hearing Room B, Oregon State Capitol, Salem, OR

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