Legislation and Advocacy

Through local, state, and federal laws and advocacy bills, WWPF has worked alongside our partners to educate millions on the immense public health crisis that is SCA.
WWPF and our partners focus on legislation and advocacy related to:
ECG heart screenings for students and young adults
AED placement and accessibility
Cardiac emergency response plans
Cardiac risk assessment in students and young adults
CPR training
SCA prevention training

Highlight of current major legislative, policy, and advocacy initiatives

Law Not Luck Collaboration: Law Not Luck is a collaborative movement with a mission of protecting young hearts and saving lives from SCA. Check out more about the Law Not Luck movement at: https://lawnotluck.org. An overview of some of the proposed legislation (as of April 2021) includes:
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Florida - House Bill 157 introduced by Rep. Fred Hawkins, Jr., will empower high school students with at least one (1) hour of training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and use of an automated external defibrillator (AED), thus creating the next generation of life-savers.
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Florida - House Bill school districts are encouraged to provide basic training in first aid, including CPR and use of an AED for all students in grade 6 and 8. The same training would be required for all students in grade 9 and 11.
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Florida - Senate Bill 280 introduced by Sen. Dennis Baxley encourages school districts to provide basic training in first-aid including at least one (1) hour of hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for all students in grades 6 and 8. And it would require school districts to provide basic training in first-aid including at least one (1) hour of hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for all students in grades 9 and 11.
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ECG Heart Screening Initiatives: WWPF is constantly pushing for advances in the number of communities that recommend and/or require ECG heart screenings.

Highlight of major legislative, policy, and advocacy achievements

Highlight of major legislative, policy, and advocacy achievements:
ECG Heart Screening Initiatives:
WWPF is constantly pushing for advances in the number of communities that recommend and/or require ECG heart screenings. In 2019, Brevard and Osceola Counties in Florida became the 1^st counties in the United States to ensure that every student that participates in an athletic program is REQUIRED to have an ECG performed as part of the sports physical examination.
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Due to the overwhelming success of the program and the number of children that have been identified with deadly conditions over the last two years, several other Florida School Districts have followed on. 
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As of today, those districts also partnering with Who We play For are, ORANGE COUNTY, The 9^th Largest School District in the United States:
BREVARD COUNTY
OSCEOLA COUNTY
SEMINOLE COUNTY
HIGHLAND COUNTY
FLAGLER COUNTY
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY
VOLUSIA COUNTY

CPR & AED Laws passed

Brevard County CPR Graduation Policy (2017) – Brevard County School District now requires CPR and AED training as a graduation requirement.

Florida Law HB 7055 (2018) – Schools districts are ENCOURAGED to provide basic training in first aid, including CPR, for all students beginning in grade 6 and for every two years thereafter.
https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2020/7011/BillText/Filed/PDF

United States National House Resolution 35 (2018) - Encourages public schools with automated external defibrillators (AEDs), during time allocated under state law for training personnel in emergency first aid and CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), to train personnel in the use of AEDs.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-resolution/35/text

Florida Law HB 7011, “Zach Martin Act” (2020) - Beginning June 2021, an automated external defibrillator (AED) is required at all school athletic events, practices, and workouts, along with a school employee or volunteer trained in its use and in the application of CPR. Prior to the law, the state only recommended the training and defibrillators were only required at state playoff and championship games. 
‍https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2020/7011/BillText/Filed/PDF

Florida Law HB 157 (2021) - Required CPR/AED training in 9th and 11th grade as a graduation requirement. Empowers high school students with at least one (1) hour of training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and use of an automated external defibrillator (AED), thus creating the next generation of life-savers.  
https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2021/157/BillText/Filed/PDF