Gov. Jerry Brown has a month to sign a new bill that would make CPR training a high school graduation requirement.
The CPR in Schools legislation would require schools to teach students hands-on CPR and how to use an automated external defibrillator.
Dr. John Maa is chair of the advocacy task force for the California American Heart Association.
"The provision of immediate CPR and defibrillation can more than double a victim's chance of survival," says Maa. "What this bill will do is train a new generation of lifesavers in the community to be to respond to cardiac arrest at the scene."
The bill would go into effect during the 2018-2019 school year.
San Francisco, San Diego and Placentia Yorba Linda Unified School Districts already require CPR in schools.
Gov. Brown has until September 30 to sign the bill into law. If signed, California would become the 35th state to require the training.
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