New Law Requires High School Graduates to Know CPR

Beginning this school year, all graduating high school seniors will be required to pass a CPR course as part of their high school curriculum.

The requirement comes from a bill signed by Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadadno on August 20. “Janet’s Law,” as it’s called, is named after Janet Zilinski, an 11 year-old cheerleader from Warren, who died in 2006 after an episode of cardiac arrest.

Since the implementation of Janet’s Law, all school districts in New Jersey will have an automatic external defibrillator, at least five school employees certified in CPR, an emergency action plan for a cardiac incident, and EMTs or other first responders at all practices and events if trained school employers are not available.

New Jersey is among only three states with such requirements.