The Assembly Committee on Arts, Entertainment, Sports and Tourism advanced AB 387 on an 8-0 vote, sending the youth sports AED bill to the Assembly floor.
According to the committee summary, the measure is tied to the Navea Youth Sports Safety Act and is meant to improve access to automated external defibrillators during organized youth sports. The author said the bill stems from a multi-year effort inspired by the death of Nivea Johnson from sudden cardiac arrest and is designed to make AEDs accessible when children are playing or practicing without creating new purchase or installation mandates on local facilities.
The bill was described during the hearing as a negotiated compromise reached with schools, local governments, parks and recreation groups, risk-management organizations and youth sports stakeholders. The summary says amendments were said to clarify liability and make clear the measure does not create a new mandatory duty for public entities.
No members of the public registered in support or opposition, and no one testified against the bill in the room, according to the committee summary. After members moved to concur in Senate amendments, the committee referred AB 387 to the floor.
