The Justin Kropp Safety Act: Public utilities: AED availability at worksites.

Assembly Member Schiavo's Justin Kropp Safety Act mandates that public utilities and their contractors maintain automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) at all worksites containing transmission or distribution lines. The legislation adds requirements for AED placement, maintenance protocols, and emergency response procedures to the Public Utilities Code.

Under the measure, utilities and contractors must conduct regular AED readiness checks at least every 30 days and after each use, following guidelines from manufacturers, the American Heart Association, and the American Red Cross. The bill requires written emergency plans detailing AED procedures, including immediate notification of emergency medical services. Users must report all AED deployments to local EMS agencies.

The act provides liability protection for individuals and organizations when AEDs are used in emergency care, except in cases of gross negligence or willful misconduct. While creating new compliance obligations for utilities and their contractors, the bill specifies that local agencies are exempt from reimbursement requirements since the measure establishes new regulatory standards enforceable through the Public Utilities Commission.