The House Education Committee approved Senate Bill 20 on Monday, requiring CPR instruction in Alaska public schools after adopting three amendments to provide flexibility for rural and under-resourced districts.

The committee voted unanimously to advance the bill, which mandates that public schools provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation education to students. The amendments addressed concerns about implementation challenges in communities with limited staffing or equipment.

The first amendment softened the universal requirement by changing "each" to "a" and adding "if practicable" to the instruction mandate. This gives schools discretion to opt out based on limitations like staffing or resources while maintaining the expectation of CPR instruction.

"This amendment does not change the bill's core purpose but adjusts how CPR training can be delivered," said Co-Chair Julie Himschoot. "The requirement for CPR education remains, but it adds flexibility, especially for schools with limited resources."

The second amendment allows alternatives to hands-on training, such as virtual or blended simulations, for schools without proper equipment or instructors. It defines hands-on practice as simulated CPR using mannequins or similar tools aligned with national guidelines while still allowing alternatives where needed.

The third amendment delays the effective date to July 1, 2027, allowing the state to apply for a Rural Health Transformation Grant of up to $100,000 to support CPR training.

Leah Van Kirk, healthcare policy advisor for the Department of Health, said the Rural Health Transformation Program will accept year two applications in late July or early August. The American Heart Association could submit an application requesting funds to support CPR education.

Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson, who sponsored the bill, said the amendments provide flexibility and reassurance for implementation in more remote and rural communities that may have fewer resources than urban areas.

"It has never been our intention to place a burden on Alaska's educators, and this funding opportunity may help address the concerns that some of you may have," Gray-Jackson said.

The American Heart Association plans to provide free CPR kits to all Alaska communities with 20 or more residents by 2030. As a result, grant support would likely only be needed for approximately three years until those kits are distributed statewide.

Representative Ted Eischeid said the delayed effective date allows the state to potentially access money and train instructors who can continue teaching future health providers.

"The great thing about CPR training of instructors is once you have instructors trained, they can keep instructing the future health providers of our great state," Eischeid said.