A plain-language breakdown of 76 O.S. § 5A, the Chase Morris Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act (70 O.S. § 24-156), and the 2024 amendments under SB 239 and SB 1921 governing AED programs, schools, and athletics in Oklahoma.
Oklahoma’s AED framework has two distinct parts. The core liability statute, 76 O.S. § 5A, provides broad Good Samaritan immunity to rescuers, device owners, trainers, and prescribing physicians, conditioned on acting in good faith and without expectation of compensation. Device owners carry an additional obligation to communicate AED locations to the proper first responder — individuals certified by the Oklahoma State Department of Health under the Oklahoma Emergency Response Systems Development Act, which in practice means notifying local EMS.
The school-related framework is more substantial and was significantly expanded in 2024. Two bills signed by Governor Stitt in July 2024, SB 239 and SB 1921, strengthened the Chase Morris Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act codified at 70 O.S. § 24-156. The 2024 amendments require every coach, school nurse, and athletic trainer to complete annual SCA training that includes CPR and AED use from an OSDH-approved provider; require every public school to develop and adopt a formal Cardiac Emergency Response Plan; and require each school’s plan to ensure an AED is placed at each athletic venue or is accessible within one to three minutes.
AED placement in schools under 70 O.S. § 1210.200 remains contingent on available federal funding or private donations. The CERP requirement under § 24-156 is not contingent, though it does not itself mandate AED purchase.
Not legal advice. This page summarizes publicly available statutes for informational purposes. Laws change and individual circumstances vary — consult a qualified attorney or the Oklahoma State Department of Health before relying on this for compliance decisions.
SB 239 and SB 1921 expanded the Chase Morris Act to require annual SCA training for all coaches, nurses, and athletic trainers, plus a mandatory Cardiac Emergency Response Plan at every public school.
Each school’s CERP must ensure an AED is placed at each athletic venue or is accessible within 1 to 3 minutes during school-day use and school-sponsored athletic events.
School AED placement under § 1210.200 is contingent on available federal funding or private donations — the CERP requirement is not contingent, but the AED purchase is.
Oklahoma AED Requirements at a Glance
| Requirement | Summary |
|---|---|
| Good Samaritan — rescuer | Any person who in good faith and without expectation of compensation provides emergency AED care outside a medical facility is immune from civil liability, except for gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct. |
| Good Samaritan — trainer | CPR/AED course directors and trainers who have completed OSDH-required training are immune from civil liability for personal injury resulting from device use or their instruction, except for gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct. |
| Good Samaritan — physician | A prescribing physician who in good faith writes a prescription for AED use in emergency care is immune from civil liability, except for gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct. |
| Good Samaritan — device owner | Any entity or individual who owns, leases, possesses, or controls an AED is immune from civil liability for personal injury resulting from device use, except for gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct. |
| EMS notification | Any entity or individual who owns, leases, possesses, or controls an AED must communicate its location and placement to the proper first responder (state-certified EMS personnel) for the area. |
| School AED placement Funding-contingent | Each school district must make AEDs available at each school site, contingent on available federal funding or private donations. Districts may also make AEDs available at high school athletic practices and competitions. |
| Student CPR/AED instruction | All students in public high schools must receive CPR and AED instruction at least once between ninth grade and graduation, using a nationally recognized, psychomotor-skills-based program. |
| Annual coach/nurse/trainer training New — 2024 | Every coach, school nurse, and athletic trainer must complete an annual SCA training course from an OSDH-approved provider, covering first aid, CPR, and AED use. |
| Cardiac Emergency Response Plan New — 2024 | Every public school must develop and adopt a CERP covering AED placement, response team, and procedures for SCA at school and school-sponsored events. |
| AED at athletic venues New — 2024 | Each school’s CERP must ensure an AED is placed at each athletic venue or is accessible within one to three minutes during school-day use and school-sponsored athletic events or practices. |
| Athletic emergency action plan | Each school district must coordinate with local EMS to develop a written Emergency Action Plan for every facility and for athletic practices and events, identifying AED locations, personnel roles, and post-incident documentation. |
Oklahoma AED Statutes
76 O.S. § 5A
Emergency use of AED — immunity from civil liability
Four-tier immunity structure (subsections A–D) + EMS notification requirement
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The statute provides four tiers of civil liability immunity, each anchored to a specific subsection:
👤 Rescuer
Any person who in good faith and without expectation of compensation renders emergency AED care outside a medical facility. Exception: gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct. Also covers CPR/AED course directors and trainers who have completed OSDH-required training.
🩺 Prescribing physician
A physician who in good faith writes a prescription for AED use in emergency care. Exception: gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct.
🏢 Device owner
Any entity or individual who owns, leases, possesses, or otherwise controls an AED, for personal injury resulting from device use. Exception: gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct. Not expressly conditioned on program requirements, though gross negligence in maintenance could negate it.
📍 EMS notification
Any entity or individual who owns, leases, possesses, or controls an AED must communicate its location and placement to the proper first responder. Not an immunity provision — this is an affirmative obligation.
70 O.S. § 1210.199
CPR and AED training in schools (Dustin Rhodes and Lindsay Steed CPR Training Act)
Grades 9–12 psychomotor CPR/AED instruction; annual staff training requirement
▾
Beginning with the 2015-2016 school year, all students in public schools must receive CPR and AED instruction at least once between ninth grade and high school graduation. The instruction must use a nationally recognized program based on current AHA emergency cardiovascular care guidelines and must incorporate psychomotor (hands-on) skills.
Each public school district must also ensure that at least one certified teacher and one noncertified staff member at each school site complete CPR and Heimlich maneuver training each year.
70 O.S. § 1210.200
AEDs in schools (Zachary Eckles and Luke Davis AED in Schools Act)
Funding-contingent school AED placement — immunity for districts that comply
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Where funding is available, each school district must make AEDs available at each school site. The school district may also make AEDs available at each high school athletic practice or competition.
Any school district that makes AEDs available under this section is immune from civil liability for personal injury resulting from device use, except for gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct under § 76-5A. The Oklahoma State Department of Education maintains a list of private organizations and funding sources available to assist districts in purchasing AEDs.
70 O.S. § 24-156
Chase Morris Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act (amended July 1, 2024)
Annual training mandate, CERP requirement, AED access at athletic venues — SB 239 & SB 1921
▾
Annual SCA training. Every coach associated with any athletic activity, every school nurse, and every athletic trainer at a public school must complete an annual SCA training course from an OSDH-approved provider. Training must include first aid, CPR, and AED use. Coaches may not coach until this training is completed each year. For individuals with unexpired CPR certifications, a district-approved online or in-person training course meeting state and national guidelines may satisfy the annual requirement.
Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP). Each public school must develop a formal CERP, formulated by a school site administrator and adopted by the school district board of education. The plan must cover all athletic venues and school-sponsored activities.
Required CERP elements:
AED access. An AED must be accessible during the school day and at any school-sponsored athletic event or team practice in which students of the school are participating.
Awareness program. The Oklahoma State Department of Health and Department of Education jointly develop and post guidelines regarding SCA symptoms, warning signs, and risks on their public websites. Before a student participates in any athletic activity, the student and parent or guardian must sign and return an acknowledgment of the SCA information sheet each year.
70 O.S. § 27-104
Emergency action plan for athletic facilities (Riley’s Rule)
Written EAP required for every school athletic facility, coordinated with local EMS
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Prior to the 2021-2022 school year, each school district board of education must coordinate with local EMS providers to develop a written Emergency Action Plan for each facility and for all athletic practices, events, and activities at district facilities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Oklahoma require all schools to have AEDs?+
AED placement in schools under § 70-1210.200 is contingent on available federal funding or private donations. However, the Chase Morris Act (§ 70-24-156), as amended in 2024, requires that each school’s Cardiac Emergency Response Plan ensure an AED is accessible at each athletic venue or within one to three minutes during school-day use and school-sponsored activities.
Who must complete SCA training in Oklahoma schools?+
As of July 1, 2024, every coach, school nurse, and athletic trainer must complete an annual SCA training course from an OSDH-approved provider. Training must include first aid, CPR, and AED use. Coaches may not coach until training is completed each year.
Who is protected by Oklahoma’s AED Good Samaritan law?+
Section 76-5A protects four groups: the individual rescuer who acts in good faith without compensation (including CPR/AED trainers who have completed OSDH training), prescribing physicians who write AED prescriptions in good faith, and any entity or individual who owns or controls an AED. Protection does not apply to gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct.
What is a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan under Oklahoma law?+
A CERP, required for every public school with athletic programs under the 2024 amendment to § 70-24-156, is a written document developed by the school site administrator and adopted by the school board. It must cover response team establishment, AED placement at athletic venues, staff training, annual drills, EMS integration, and procedures for any suspected SCA event at school or school-sponsored activities.
How must Oklahoma AED owners notify first responders?+
Under § 76-5A(D), any entity or individual who owns, leases, possesses, or controls an AED must communicate its locations and placements to the proper first responder, defined as an individual certified by the Oklahoma State Department of Health under the Oklahoma Emergency Response Systems Development Act. In practice this means notifying the local EMS agency with jurisdiction over the AED’s location.
Can student athletes be removed from activity for cardiac symptoms?+
Yes. Under § 70-24-156, any athletic trainer, official, or coach who reasonably believes a student is showing SCA symptoms may remove that student from participation. The student cannot return without written clearance from a licensed physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner.
Keep your Oklahoma AED program compliant
Oklahoma’s EMS notification requirement, annual training obligations, and the 2024 CERP mandate all create ongoing compliance documentation needs. AED Log tracks inspection records, certification dates, and expiration tracking across every device and location.
Statutes cited from Justia US Law and the Oklahoma State Legislature. This page reflects amendments effective July 1, 2024 under SB 239 and SB 1921.
This page is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. For guidance specific to your situation, consult a qualified attorney or the Oklahoma State Department of Health.