HR 4621
In CommitteeHouse
American heart month
Recognizing February 2025 to be American Heart Month.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
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- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This resolution formally recognizes February 2025 as American Heart Month in Washington to raise awareness about heart disease, stroke, and cardiac arrest—and to promote life-saving actions like CPR and AED use. It underscores the urgent need for public education and preparedness, especially since most cardiac arrests happen at home and survival rates remain low without immediate intervention.
- Designates February 2025 as American Heart Month in Washington State.
- Highlights the high number of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests—especially at home—and low survival rates.
- Emphasizes that CPR performed immediately can significantly improve survival chances.
- Encourages public education and preparedness, including CPR training and automated external defibrillator (AED) accessibility.
- Calls for increased public action during cardiac emergencies: calling 911, performing high-quality CPR, and using AEDs quickly.
Who is affected
- General public — The general public, especially those who may witness a cardiac arrest, are encouraged to learn CPR and be prepared to respond in emergencies.
- Schools and youth sports programs — Schools, sports organizations, and community groups may increase efforts to teach CPR and install AEDs as part of emergency planning.
- Emergency medical services — Emergency medical services (EMS) and first responders may benefit from increased public readiness to perform CPR and use AEDs before their arrival.
- People at risk for heart disease or cardiac arrest — People at higher risk for heart disease or cardiac arrest—including those in historically underserved communities—may gain from increased awareness and access to life-saving interventions.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (1)
Public education and CPR/AED promotion may improve survival rates during out-of-hospital cardiac arrest — a life-threatening emergency where immediate bystander action is the strongest predictor of survival. This directly benefits everyday people who may witness or experience cardiac arrest, especially since 70% occur at home and survival without bystander intervention is ~10%.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: WHEREAS, CPR, especially if performed immediately, can double or triple a person's chance of survival; only about 46 percent of people who experience cardiac arrest receive CPR from people nearby while waiting for emergency responders to arrive
Who Is Most Affected
The general public — especially lay responders — gains increased awareness and tools to act in cardiac emergencies, potentially saving lives. This is broadly beneficial across income and demographic lines, as cardiac arrest can strike anyone, anywhere.
Schools and youth sports programs may face modest costs or logistical efforts to implement CPR training or AED placement, but they also gain from improved emergency readiness and potential liability protection under Good Samaritan laws. Overall, the net impact is positive for student and staff safety.
EMS and first responders benefit from increased bystander CPR and AED use, which reduces time to first intervention and improves outcomes — easing strain on emergency systems and improving survival metrics. This is a direct operational benefit.
People at higher risk (e.g., older adults, those with cardiovascular conditions, or in underserved communities with higher heart disease burden) gain from heightened awareness and targeted outreach, though the resolution itself does not allocate new resources to reach them — so impact is aspirational without implementation support.