STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman CAROL A. MURPHY
District 7 (Burlington)
Assemblyman BENJIE E. WIMBERLY
District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Requires local recreation departments and youth serving organizations to have defibrillators for youth athletic events.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning automated external defibrillators and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and supplementing Title 5 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Michael Fisher Law."
2. a. Beginning September 1, 2020, a municipal or county recreation department and a nonprofit youth serving organization as defined in section 1 of P.L.1999, c.432 (C.15A:3A-1) including, but not limited to, Little Leagues, Babe Ruth Leagues, Pop Warner Leagues, Police Athletic Leagues, and youth soccer leagues, which organizes, sponsors, or is otherwise affiliated with youth athletic events that are played on municipal, county, school, or other publicly-owned fields, shall ensure that there is available on site an automated external defibrillator, as defined in section 2 of P.L.1999, c.34 (C.2A:62A-24), at each youth athletic event and practice held on the department's or organization's home field.
b. A recreation department or youth serving organization shall be deemed to be in compliance with the requirements of this section if a State-certified emergency services provider or other certified first responder is on site at the athletic event or practice and has a defibrillator available for use on site.
c. Notwithstanding the provisions of P.L.1999, c.34 (C.2A:62A-23 et seq.) to the contrary, a recreation department or youth serving organization and its employees and volunteer umpires, coaches, and licensed athletic trainers shall be immune from civil liability in the acquisition and use of a defibrillator.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
The bill requires that beginning on September 1, 2020, municipal or county recreation departments and nonprofit youth serving organizations, which organize, sponsor, or are otherwise affiliated with youth athletic events that are played on municipal, county, school, or other publicly-owned fields, must ensure that there is available on site an automated external defibrillator (AED) at each youth athletic event and practice held on the department's or organization's home field.
A recreation department or youth serving organization will be deemed to be in compliance with the AED requirement if a State-certified emergency services provider or other certified first responder is on site at the athletic event or practice and has an AED available for use on site. A recreation department or youth serving organization and its employees, umpires, coaches, and licensed athletic trainers will be immune from civil liability in the acquisition and use of an AED.