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Read. Follow. Verify.West Virginia Bill Requires AEDs at Recreational Facilities and Cardiac Plans in Schools
Last action · February 9, 2026: To EducationSponsors: Vince Deeds and 5 others
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What This Bill Proposed
West Virginia Senate Bill 889 requires all public and private recreational facilities to maintain a functioning, registered automated external defibrillator (AED) accessible to the public during operating hours under the "Hamza Syed Law." The bill also mandates that county school boards develop venue-specific s, hold annual informational meetings for families, require annual cardiac training for athletic coaches, and restrict students who experience fainting from returning to play without medical clearance.
Schools and public or private recreational facilities across West Virginia must acquire AED devices, train staff in CPR and AED use, and establish emergency response protocols integrated with local emergency medical services.
- County boards of education operate public elementary and secondary schools under West Virginia state law. context
- Automated external defibrillators are portable medical devices used to diagnose and treat cardiac arrest through defibrillation. context
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Recreational facilities
Must maintain a functioning, registered AED on the premises accessible to the public during operating hours.
County boards of education
Must develop and implement cardiac emergency response plans, coordinate with local EMS, and ensure staff are trained.
Student athletes
Must review cardiac response plans annually, submit signed acknowledgement forms, and obtain medical clearance if they experience fainting.
Athletic coaches
Must complete annual sudden cardiac arrest training and maintain CPR/AED training certifications.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hamza Syed Law require of recreational facilities?
What must a student do before participating in school athletics?
Who is authorized to clear a student to return to sports after fainting?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in Senate committee.
Procedural history
4 actions- Feb 9, 2026SenateCommitteeTo Education
- Feb 9, 2026SenateIntroducedIntroduced in Senate
- Feb 9, 2026SenateCommitteeTo Education
- Feb 9, 2026SenateIntroducedFiled for introduction
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Expansion of AED Mandates Beyond Schools
The bill extends cardiac emergency requirements from educational settings to all public and private recreational facilities under the 'Hamza Syed Law'.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.wvlegislature.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 75)
- Controversy10Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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