Rhode Island legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Rhode Island S2079: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PUPILS (Expands the requirement that all high schools and middle schools, w
Status: Signed into law, June 10, 2026
AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PUPILS (Expands the requirement that all high schools and middle schools, whether they are publicly or privately run to maintain on site a functional AED while establishing and implementing a cardiac emergency response plan in these schools.)
What the bill says
From the introduced text, January 16, 2026:
2026 -- S 2079 ======== LC003168 ======== STATEOFRHODEISLAND IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026 ____________ ANACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PUPILS Introduced By: Senators Tikoian, Ciccone, Gallo, McKenney, Paolino, Bissaillon, DiPalma, Murray, Patalano, and LaMountain Date Introduced: January 16, 2026 Referred To: Senate Education It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: SECTION 1. Section 16-21-33.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-21 entitled "Health and Safety of Pupils" is hereby amended to read as follows: 16-21-33.1. Automatic external defibrillators Automated external defibrillators, cardiac emergency response plans, and athletic emergency action plans. (a) Legislative findings: (1) Approximately three hundred twenty-five thousand (325,000) Americans suffer sudden cardiac arrest ("SCA") each year and more than ninety-five percent (95%) of them die before reaching the hospital; (2) In the population of Rhode Island, an estimated one thousand (1,000) residents will die of cardiac arrest every year; (3) No official statistics have been gathered about SCA in children, however experts estimate about three hundred (300) deaths because of SCA every year for people under the age of twenty-one (21) or about one tenth of one percent (.001%); (4) This means that at least one person under the age of twenty-one (21) years, most likely a student, will die due to athletics related SCA every year in Rhode Island; …
Sponsors
- David Tikoian (D, SD-022) · primary sponsor
- Frank Ciccone (D, SD-007)
- Hanna Gallo (D, SD-027)
- Mark McKenney (D, SD-030)
- Thomas Paolino (R, SD-017)
- Jacob Bissaillon (D, SD-001)
- DiPalma, Louis (D, SD-012)
- Melissa Murray (D, SD-024)
- Todd Patalano (D, SD-026)
- Matthew LaMountain (D, SD-031)
Latest actions
- : Signed by Governor
- : Transmitted to Governor
- : House passed in concurrence
- : Placed on House Calendar
- : Senate read and passed
- : Placed on Senate Calendar
- : Committee recommends passage
- : Scheduled for consideration
- : Committee recommended measure be held for further study
- : Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration
Votes
- House Seq #282: PASSAGE IN CONCURRENCE (June 4, 2026): 63 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Senate Seq #260: (May 28, 2026): 36 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Senate Committee on Education: Passage (May 26, 2026): 9 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Senate Committee on Education: Passage (March 11, 2026): 7 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: EDUCATION
Common questions
- What is S2079?
- S2079 is a bill in the Rhode Island Legislature (2026 Regular Session): AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PUPILS (Expands the requirement that all high schools and middle schools, w.
- What does S2079 do?
- AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PUPILS (Expands the requirement that all high schools and middle schools, whether they are publicly or privately run to maintain on site a functional AED while establishing and implementing a cardiac emergency response plan in these schools.)
- What is the status of S2079?
- Signed into law as of June 10, 2026. Latest action: Signed by Governor (June 10, 2026).
- Who sponsored S2079?
- David Tikoian (D, SD-022), with 9 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for S2079?
- On the Rhode Island Legislature website: http://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText26/SenateText26/S2079.pdf
Source: official Rhode Island record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.