Gov. Wolf Signs Bill to Develop CPR Curriculum

HARRISBURG – Gov. Tom Wolf has signed into law Act 7 of 2019, formerly Senate Bill 115, which will require the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) to create potentially life-saving curriculum for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

“I’m proud to sign into law this important life-saving measure. Each additional set of hands trained to do CPR increases the likelihood that a cardiac arrest will be reversed,” said Wolf.

“Teaching our young Pennsylvanians to save a life not only promotes the health of all of Pennsylvania, it [also] builds a sense of community and neighborliness.”

More than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of the hospital each year, and nearly 45 percent of those patients who received CPR survived.

Act 7 requires PDE to provide a curriculum to schools to teach “hands-only” CPR, a no-breath, compression-only technique recommended by the American Heart Association for sudden cardiac arrests.

The curriculum must also include the use of automatic external defibrillators.

“This new law will help provide generations of Pennsylvanians with an important life-saving skill. Knowing how to properly use the hands-only CPR technique and AED equipment is critical when an individual suffers a cardiac arrest,” said Sen. Tom Killion, who sponsored the bill. “I deeply appreciate Gov. Wolf signing this legislation. It will save many lives.”

Wolf’s history of improving health for Pennsylvanians includes expanding Medicaid to give 720,000 Pennsylvanians access to health care and legalizing medical marijuana to provide relief to patients with qualified medical conditions. Act 7 will take effect Aug. 12, 2019.

Wolf also signed into law on Tuesday Act 6 of 2019, formerly House Bill 275, which changes the name of the Early Intervention Program to the Strategic Management Planning Program to encourage participation, and Act 8 of 2019, formerly Senate Bill 441, which designates the bridge carrying Route 2087 over the East Branch Codorus Creek in York County as the Sgt. Christopher M. Wrinkle and Tosca Memorial Bridge.

Wrinkle, a graduate of Dallastown High School in York, died alongside his service dog, Tosca, in 2011 while serving in the Marine Corps in Afghanistan.