Roberts’ bill to prevent cardiac-arrest deaths passes Health and Insurance Committee vote

Colorado House Democrats on Tuesday issued the following press release on a Dylan Roberts’ bill to help prevent cardiac-arrest deaths passing out of committee:

The House Health and Insurance Committee today passed HB22-1251, sponsored by Representative Dylan Roberts, which would prevent deaths from cardiac arrest.

“We need this bill to save lives. This bill will prevent cardiac arrest deaths by helping people locate and use life saving defibrillators,” said Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Avon. “The bill creates an outreach and education campaign to raise awareness of cardiac arrest and what to do when someone’s heart stops. Importantly, Colorado will start collecting crucial data on cardiac arrests to help us understand more about one of the leading causes of death in our state. Together, we can save more lives and this bill will provide people the tools they need to act.” 

The bill, which passed by a vote of 6-4, creates the Office of Sudden Cardiac Arrest Management to increase and improve the use of defibrillators. Under the bill, the office would implement an outreach campaign and training program to raise public awareness of cardiac arrest and teach the skills necessary to save lives. 

Colorado currently does not track data on cardiac arrests, even though it is one of the leading causes of death in the state. The bill requires the office to collect and coordinate data on cardiac arrests, including data from coroners and facilities that treat cardiac arrest patients. It would also employ a statewide cardiac arrest data coordinator and other personnel as necessary to support the overall goals of the Office of Sudden Cardiac Arrest Management.