Alaska Senate votes to require public schools to teach CPR
- Alaska Beacon
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
By James Brooks
Alaska Beacon
Alaska public school students would be required to learn hands-only CPR under a proposal advancing through the state legislature.
In a 19-0 vote on Wednesday, the Alaska Senate approved Senate Bill 20, which requires the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development to “adopt curricula to instruct public school students on hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation.”
Conventional CPR involves chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth breathing, whereas hands-only CPR uses compressions alone.
Sen. Robert Yundt, R-Wasilla, was absent from the vote.
Existing state law says that each state school district is “encouraged” to teach CPR; the new bill, if approved by the House and Gov. Mike Dunleavy, would change CPR to a requirement.
The department said in a fiscal note that it will be able to implement the new requirement at no additional cost to the state.
“It’s time for Alaska to align with the growing national standard that ensures students learn these life-saving CPR techniques,” said Sen. Elvi Gray-Jackson, D-Anchorage and the sponsor of the bill.
Heart diseases are the No. 2 cause of death in Alaska, according to the latest available state statistics. CPR can be used to keep someone’s blood flowing if they experience sudden cardiac arrest. That can triple a victim’s chances of survival, Gray-Jackson said, noting that CPR has even been used in the Capitol on occasion.
SB 20 advances to the House for further consideration. A companion measure, House Bill 92, is in the House Education Committee and has not yet been heard.
• James Brooks is a longtime Alaska reporter, having previously worked at the Anchorage Daily News, Juneau Empire, Kodiak Mirror and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Alaska Beacon is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
