AEDs in Pennsylvania Schools: What Greg Moyer's Law (Act 17 of 2026) Requires

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In May 2026, Pennsylvania took a major step toward protecting student athletes. Governor Josh Shapiro signed Senate Bill 375 into law as Act 17 of 2026, better known as Greg Moyer's Law. The law requires automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to be readily available at school athletic events and practices across the Commonwealth, and it sets new standards for CPR and AED training, emergency planning, and AED maintenance in Pennsylvania schools.

If you're a school administrator, athletic director, coach, or school nurse, here's what you need to know.

Who Was Greg Moyer?

Greg Moyer was a 15-year-old student at Notre Dame Jr./Sr. High School in the Poconos. In 2000, he suffered sudden cardiac arrest during a high school basketball game. There was no AED nearby, no cell signal, and staff had to unlock an office just to call 911 from a landline. By the time emergency responders arrived with a defibrillator, it was too late.

His mother, Rachel Moyer, a retired teacher, has spent more than two decades advocating for CPR training and AED access in schools so that no other family has to go through the same loss. Act 17 is the result of that work, and it bears her son's name.

What Greg Moyer's Law Requires

The law amends the Pennsylvania Public School Code and applies to public school districts, charter and cyber charter schools, intermediate units, career and technical schools, and nonpublic schools. Key requirements include:

AEDs at athletics: Schools that participate in interscholastic athletics must have an AED readily accessible during PIAA-sanctioned athletic events and practices, with someone trained in CPR and AED use available.
Cardiac Emergency Response Plans: Schools with athletic programs must develop or update a cardiac emergency response plan (CERP) and run sudden cardiac arrest response drills every year.
Trained staff in every building: At least one person trained in CPR and AED use must be present in each school building during every school day.
Required certification: School nurses (or their designees), athletic coaches, athletic trainers, physical education teachers, and marching band directors must be certified in CPR and AED use, with training renewed at least every two years.
AED maintenance: AEDs must be maintained according to the manufacturer's guidelines and Department of Health specifications, including keeping pads and batteries current.
Annual AED reporting: Beginning by June 30, 2027, schools must report their AED inventory to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, including the number, age, model, condition, locations, and pad and battery expiration dates of every device.

Schools have up to three years from the law's effective date to come into full compliance, and the training requirements phase in by 2029. The law also creates a statewide AED purchasing program through the Department of Education, allows certain school safety and security grants to be used for AED training, and reinforces Good Samaritan protections for school employees and volunteers who perform CPR or use an AED in an emergency.

Why AEDs in Schools Matter

Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death in young athletes, and it can strike students who seem perfectly healthy. When the heart goes into a chaotic rhythm called ventricular fibrillation, the only thing that can restore a normal rhythm is a shock from a defibrillator. Every minute without CPR and defibrillation significantly lowers the chance of survival.

Ambulances can't always get there in time, especially in rural areas or at large outdoor venues. An AED on the sideline, in the hands of a trained coach or athletic trainer, can deliver a shock within the first few minutes, when it matters most. Modern AEDs are designed for anyone to use: they give clear voice instructions and will only deliver a shock if one is needed.

How to Prepare Your School

With the June 30, 2027 reporting deadline approaching, now is the time to get ahead of compliance. A few practical steps:

Inventory the AEDs you already have, where they're located, and when their pads and batteries expire.
Make sure every gym, field, and practice location has an AED within quick reach, including portable units that travel with teams.
Schedule CPR and AED certification for coaches, athletic trainers, PE teachers, nurses, and band directors.
Write or update your cardiac emergency response plan and schedule your first annual drill.

CMR CPR Can Help

CMR CPR helps Pennsylvania schools meet the requirements of Greg Moyer's Law from start to finish. We provide new and refurbished Philips HeartStart AEDs, replacement pads and batteries, AED program management, and American Heart Association CPR and AED certification classes held right at your school for groups of ten or more.

Browse our AEDs for sale, learn how to use an AED, or contact us to schedule staff training and build your school's AED program.