A plain-language breakdown of KSA 65-6149a (amended July 2025), KSA 72-6288 (enacted 2024), and the dental regulation governing AED programs in Kansas.
Kansas operates a focused AED framework anchored in two statutes. The core law, KSA 65-6149a, provides Good Samaritan immunity to rescuers, device owners, physicians, and trainers, with device owner immunity conditioned on maintaining and operating the AED per proper guidelines. The statute was amended effective July 1, 2025, changing the acquisition requirement from notifying local EMS to registering the AED with the state Emergency Medical Services Board, and narrowing that obligation to devices placed in public places.
The second statute, KSA 72-6288, enacted through SB 19 in 2024, requires every public school district in Kansas to adopt a comprehensive Cardiac Emergency Response Plan. Those plans must address AED placement at each attendance center and at school-sponsored activities and events.
Kansas does not require physician medical direction, mandatory training, or post-use reporting for most AED programs. The dental sedation context is the exception: Kansas dental regulations require an AED on site in any office administering parenteral conscious sedation.
Not legal advice. This page summarizes publicly available statutes for informational purposes. Laws change and individual circumstances vary â consult a qualified attorney or the Kansas Department of Health and Environment before relying on this for compliance decisions.
AED acquisition notification changed from local EMS to state EMS Board registration, scoped to AEDs placed in public places only.
Every Kansas public school district must adopt a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan covering AED placement and emergency procedures (KSA 72-6288).
No physician medical direction mandate. No mandatory training requirement. No post-use reporting to a state agency for most programs.
Kansas AED Requirements at a Glance
| Requirement | Summary |
|---|---|
| Good Samaritan â rescuer | Any person who in good faith renders emergency AED care is not liable for civil damages, provided they acted as an ordinary reasonably prudent person would under the same circumstances. |
| Good Samaritan â device owner | Any person or entity that owns, leases, possesses, or otherwise controls an AED and provides it to others for use is not liable, provided they have developed, implemented, and follow guidelines to ensure proper maintenance and operation. |
| Good Samaritan â physician | A physician who authorizes AED acquisition via prescription order or participates in developing protocols for an AED program is not liable for civil damages resulting from use. |
| Good Samaritan â trainer | Any person or entity that teaches CPR including AED use is not liable for damages from training or use, provided training was consistent with usual and customary standards. |
| AED registration (public places) Amended 2025 | Persons or entities that purchase, lease, possess, or control an AED to be placed in a public place must register it with the Emergency Medical Services Board. |
| State facility placement | The secretary of administration and the Kansas Highway Patrol must develop placement guidelines for state-owned or occupied facilities. The state is not required to purchase AEDs. |
| School CERP New â 2024 | Each school district board of education must adopt a comprehensive Cardiac Emergency Response Plan covering AED placement, team roles, and emergency procedures for every attendance center and school-sponsored activity. |
| Dental offices | Dental offices administering parenteral conscious sedation must have an AED or defibrillator available and in working order (KAR 71-5-11). |
Kansas AED Statutes & Regulations
KSA 65-6149a
AED immunity, registration, and state facility placement (amended July 1, 2025)
Four-tier immunity structure + public-place registration + state facility placement guidelines
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The statute provides four tiers of civil liability immunity. Each tier has its own condition for protection:
đ¤ Rescuer
Protected when acting in good faith as an ordinary reasonably prudent person under the circumstances.
đĸ Device owner
Protected when it has developed, implemented, and follows guidelines for proper maintenance and operation of the AED.
đŠē Physician
Protected when authorizing AED acquisition by prescription or participating in protocol development for an AED program.
đ Trainer
Protected when CPR/AED training meets usual and customary standards.
2025 Change
What the registration change means in practice
Before vs after July 1, 2025 â who registers where, and what it affects
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Any entity acquiring an AED in Kansas was supposed to notify the local EMS agency that operated in the geographic area of the AED’s location.
The obligation is to register with the state Emergency Medical Services Board, and it applies to AEDs placed in public places specifically.
For most businesses, schools, gyms, churches, and office buildings, this means the right step is to register through the state EMS Board rather than notifying local EMS directly. The practical effect is a more centralized database, which improves emergency dispatch response by giving dispatchers a single state source for AED locations rather than relying on fragmented local records.
For organizations managing multiple AEDs across multiple locations, tracking which devices are registered, when registration needs updating after a relocation, and confirming registration is current all become part of the compliance workflow alongside maintenance records and expiration tracking.
KSA 72-6288
School district cardiac emergency response plans (enacted 2024)
Every public school district must adopt a CERP covering every attendance center and school-sponsored activity
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The board of education of each Kansas school district must adopt a comprehensive Cardiac Emergency Response Plan based on statewide standards developed by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. The plan must cover every attendance center the district operates and every school-sponsored athletic practice, competition, or other school-sponsored activity, whether on school grounds or at another location.
Districts must submit a copy of the adopted plan to the KDHE Secretary of Health and Environment, and must resubmit if the plan is amended. KDHE standards are developed in alignment with nationally recognized guidelines from organizations focused on emergency cardiovascular care. Standards are published as guidance, not regulations, and are available on the KDHE Cardiac Emergency Response Plans page.
KAR 71-5-11
Dental offices â Level II permit, parenteral conscious sedation
AED required on-site during any Level II sedation procedure
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During the administration of parenteral conscious sedation, each treating dentist must ensure that an automated external defibrillator or defibrillator is available and in working order. This requirement applies to every dental office holding a Level II sedation permit, regardless of whether the AED is owned by the practice or otherwise made available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Kansas require physician oversight for AED programs?+
Not as a mandatory condition. KSA 65-6149a provides immunity to physicians who authorize AED acquisition by prescription or participate in protocol development, but the statute does not require every AED owner to retain a physician as a condition of operating a program.
Who is protected under Kansas AED immunity law?+
KSA 65-6149a protects four groups: the individual rescuer who acts in good faith, the device owner who follows proper maintenance and operation guidelines, the physician who authorizes acquisition or participates in protocol development, and the CPR/AED trainer who teaches to usual and customary standards.
What changed in the 2025 Kansas AED law amendment?+
Effective July 1, 2025, the acquisition notification requirement changed from notifying local EMS to registering the AED with the state Emergency Medical Services Board. The scope was also narrowed to cover AEDs placed in public places specifically, rather than all AED acquisitions.
Do Kansas schools need AEDs?+
KSA 72-6288 requires each school district to adopt a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan that identifies and implements AED placement. The law does not directly mandate AED purchase, and a 2024 appropriation of $1.5 million to fund school AED purchases was vetoed by Governor Kelly. However, the CERP requirement includes AED placement planning as a required element.
Do Kansas dental offices need AEDs?+
Yes, if they administer parenteral conscious sedation. KAR 71-5-11 requires a functional AED or defibrillator to be available and in working order during any Level II sedation procedure.
Does Kansas require post-use reporting after an AED is used?+
No. Kansas has no mandatory post-use reporting requirement to a state agency for most AED programs.
Keep your Kansas AED program compliant
Kansas’s updated state registration requirement and the CERP school mandate both create ongoing compliance documentation needs. AED Log tracks registration status, maintenance records, and expiration dates in one dashboard with automatic reminders before anything lapses.
Statutes cited from the Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. This page reflects the July 1, 2025 amendment to KSA 65-6149a.
This page is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. For guidance specific to your situation, consult a qualified attorney or the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.