LANSING, Mich. — Parents and health experts from across Michigan are urging lawmakers to pass a bill that would require all high school students to learn CPR.
WXYZ.com reported that House Bill 5160 would add AED training as well as bystander CPR into the health curriculum that students are already required to learn. Advocates of the bill said it would only cost about $0.60 per student and about 30 minutes of class time.
“With CPR in a high school setting, if every student was trained, we’d have 100,000 more trained individuals per year,” Rep. Thomas Hooker said.
During the testimony, some lawmakers questioned why they should force schools when charities and volunteer groups can offer training to schools that want it.
“If this is so passionate, why do we have to make it a state law?” Rep. Ken Yonker asked. “Should not our school boards be jumping at the fact to have you come in to our schools?”
Thirty-one states have already passed laws requiring students to learn CPR before they graduate. The American Heart Association hopes Michigan will be next.