The Ohio House votes to mandate defibrillators in schools and sports venues after the collapse of Bills Hamlin

Columbus, Ohio (AP) — Automatic external defibrillators, or AEDs, could be placed in nearly every school or sports and recreation venue in Ohio under a proposal that passed the Republican-controlled House of Representatives on Wednesday with overwhelming bipartisan support.

The legislation, which was triggered by the sudden cardiac arrest of Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin in January on the field during a football game in Cincinnati, would require all public schools, municipally owned sports and recreation venues such as gyms and swimming pools, and some private schools to have AEDs on site.

It passed the chamber by a vote of 84 to 6.

Current Ohio law allows school districts to require on-site epileptic use, but it’s an optional decision left to individual districts.

Rep. Adam Bird of New Richmond, one of the bill’s sponsors, said he’s confident many districts already have AEDs in place, but making it a requirement could help protect students more.

By law, employees will be required to undergo special training in how to use epilepsy and to recognize the signs of cardiac arrest. Information sessions for students about sudden cardiac arrest will be required prior to the start of any sports season.

The action also calls for the Ohio Department of Health to develop a model emergency action plan for schools, centers and sports groups to adopt when using epilepsy.

Hamlin went into cardiac arrest, fell into a state of stroke and had to be resuscitated on the field after making what appeared to be a routine tackle during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals that was broadcast to a national audience in prime time on January 2.

More than two dozen supporters of the bill showed up to testify at the committee hearings, including medical groups, emergency responders and those whose lives were saved by having access to an AED during a heart attack. Everyone supported the potential new requirement as a means of saving lives that might end too soon.

The proposal is now forwarded to the Senate for consideration.

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Samantha Hendrickson is a staff member for the Associated Press/Reporting for the America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that puts journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercover issues.