All Texas public schools could be required to possess automated external defibrillators, under an initiative proposed by Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst last week.
“AEDs save lives,” Mr. Dewhurst said in a statement. “With a solution to save lives this simple, I can’t think of any reason why AEDs should not be in all public schools.”
The Austin-based University Interscholastic League reported that 600 of 1,300 Texas member high schools already have such defibrillators.
The proposed law would apply to elementary and middle schools as well. The state has almost 8,000 public schools. The cost of a portable AED is estimated at $2,000.
Currently, five states have laws regarding the placement of the life-saving devices in schools or at school-sponsored athletic events, according to Mr. Dewhurst’s office.
