Metro East Sun

Senator Erica Harriss celebrated the passage of a bill she sponsored to ensure that schools have plans to deal with cardiac arrest situations. She announced its signing into law in a July 1 Facebook post.

"I am pleased to announce that my bill creating a cardiac response plan in schools was signed into law today," said Harriss, Illinois State Senator (R), according to Facebook.

In her Facebook post, Harriss shared a link to her website, where she issued a statement. "There is no predicting when a cardiac emergency might occur. Having plans in place and individuals trained to perform life-saving measures can make a critical difference. According to the American Heart Association, thousands of students under 18 have experienced cardiac arrest. Statistics show that without prompt response or training, nearly 90% of these incidents can be fatal. This bill is about saving lives and offering parents peace of mind when dropping their children off at school," said Harriss.

Screenshot of Sen. Erica Harriss' July 1 Facebook post | Senator Erica Harriss' Facebook page

House Bill 5394 was signed into law on July 1. According to the Illinois General Assembly webpage for the bill, it requires that starting in the 2024-2025 school year, school districts will develop cardiac response plans. These plans include appropriate use of school personnel to respond to incidents involving sudden cardiac arrest or similar life-threatening emergencies while at school or at a school-sponsored activity or event.

The plan must be available on the school's website and in paper form, distributed to coaches and athletic staff members at each school, healthcare professionals who provide medical services during school-sponsored activities or events, and other appropriate school staff. Schools must create a cardiac response team and provide them with the necessary training to implement the cardiac emergency response plan.

The bill originated in the House of Representatives when Rep. Anna Moeller filed it on February 9. It arrived in the Senate on April 24, where Harriss signed on as chief sponsor the same day. The Senate passed it on May 16, and it returned to the House before being sent to Governor JB Pritzker for signing on June 21. He signed it on July 1.

Harriss has served the state's 56th Senate District since 2023. She is a small business owner with experience in marketing and communications; she volunteers with local charity organizations and leads youth groups at Metro Community Church. She also served as a member of the Madison County Board for six years, representing the people of the county board's 26th District. She holds a degree in speech communication/public relations from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and is an alumna of Edwardsville High School.