Governor Hochul Signs Legislation Requiring Public Schools to Have Cardiac Emergency Response Plans

Governor Kathy Hochul signed Desha’s Law (S.5539A/A.785A), a bill requiring every public school in NY to have a cardiac emergency response plan in place. The Governor was joined by the bill’s sponsor, Senator April Baskin, and is named after Senator Baskin’s late cousin, who tragically passed away at school.The bill signing took place at the Buffalo Bills Training Camp where the Governor was joined by Desha’s family, and leaders from the NFL and Buffalo Bills. Bills Safety Damar Hamlin, the Bills, and NFL have been powerful advocates for heart health and implementing critical training and resources in schools and youth sports following Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest in January 2023 in which he had to be resuscitated on the field during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Governor Hochul previously signed legislation requiring camps and youth sports programs to establish automated external defibrillator, or AED, implementation plans and to have at least one person trained to properly use the AED at camps, games and practice.