Texas Schools Race to Meet New Heart Safety Requirements

Life-Saving Mandate Takes Effect This Fall

Texas schools have just months to prepare for a sweeping new law that could mean the difference between life and death for students. The Landon Payton Act, formally known as Senate Bill 865, requires all Texas public and private schools to have a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan, CPR and AED certification for certain employees, and conduct drills to test their emergency response. The legislation takes effect this fall, creating urgency for districts across the state.

The bill was passed in response to the August death of Landon Payton, a 14-year-old student at Houston ISD's Marshall Middle School who collapsed and died during a P.E. class. The bill was named the Landon Payton Act, in honor of the Houston middle school student who passed away because the campus's automated external defibrillator (AED) was inoperable. His tragic death exposed critical gaps in school emergency preparedness that lawmakers were determined to address.

This law comes at a critical time as it is estimated that more than 23,000 children under the age of 18 experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital annually in the U.S. Of those events, about 40% are sports-related. In schools with AEDs, approximately 70% of children survive cardiac arrest – seven times the national average.

Comprehensive Training Requirements

The Landon Payton Act requires school nurses, assistant nurses, athletic coaches, P.E. teachers, cheerleading coaches, marching band directors and student athletic trainers to be certified in CPR and the use of an AED. The bill outlines specific measures such as mandatory training in CPR and the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for certain staff members and students, creation of a designated "cardiac emergency response team" within each school, and implementation of annual cardiac arrest drills.

Schools are scrambling to meet these requirements before the fall deadline. "We've had many, many school districts reach out, especially since Senate Bill 865 passed but to date we have 29 Heart Safe school Districts that have gone through the full Heart Safe designation process just in our program at Cook Children's," said Sarah Thieroff, Project ADAM Texas program coordinator at Cook Children's Medical Center-Fort Worth.

"What's interesting about Landon Payton is that with that Act, we've been trying ever since 1999 to get schools to have a team, have a plan, do a drill but now that the senate bill requires it, schools have to do it to be compliant. So that really helps our case. Because now it's no longer put on the bottom of the to-do list. It is a priority now because they have to do it to become compliant with the Senate," said Thieroff.

Beyond Compliance: Building a Culture of Preparedness

The legislation represents more than just new requirements – it's about creating a comprehensive safety net. An important part of CERPs is developing a process for AED maintenance. Whether in the classroom or on the playing field, having a plan in place to enable faculty, staff, and students to quickly and correctly respond to a cardiac emergency can save lives.

Research shows that for every minute without defibrillation, a person's chance of survival decreases by about 10%. This stark reality underscores why the new law mandates not just having equipment, but ensuring it works and that people know how to use it effectively.

The impact extends beyond individual schools. The Association encourages all Texans to join the Nation of Lifesavers and learn how to save a life through Hands-Only CPR with just two simple steps. Students trained in these skills carry that knowledge into their communities, potentially saving lives far beyond school grounds.

A Model for the Nation

Texas joins a growing movement toward mandatory cardiac preparedness in schools. On December 26, 2024, President Joe Biden signed the Cardiomyopathy Health Education, Awareness, Research, and Training in Schools (HEARTS) Act into law. This landmark legislation marks a monumental step toward ensuring schools across the nation are prepared to respond to cardiac emergencies.

As Texas schools work to meet their fall deadline, they're not just complying with a new law – they're pioneering a approach that could save countless young lives. The memory of Landon Payton drives this transformation, ensuring that his tragic death becomes the catalyst for protecting future generations of students across the state.