Draft bill 432.

Summary.

The draft bill establishes a minimum standard of practical training in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for public and private institutions providing early childhood, general basic, secondary, technical, vocational, and university or non-university higher education. It defines first aid, CPR, automated external defibrillator (AED), annual basic training, and current certification. It grounds its provisions in Articles 17, 109, 110(2), 50, and 46 of the Political Constitution of the Republic of Panama and designates them as matters of public order and social interest. It allows institutions to provide more favorable conditions without reducing existing programs.

The minimum content covers activating the emergency response system, conducting a safe initial assessment, responding to choking according to age, controlling external bleeding, taking initial measures for wounds, recognizing warning signs, performing basic CPR, and understanding AED use where applicable. Training may be organized through modules integrated across subjects, practical sessions, workshops, orientation sessions, or equivalent formats. Each institution would keep annual records of scheduling, instructors or accredited organizations, participants, and practical exercises completed. The text provides that these duties supplement occupational health and safety obligations; it preserves the application of Law 57 of 2016 on protection for people who assist in emergencies and Law 73 of 2019 on public access to defibrillation. Each institution would bear the cost of training its staff, and scheduling would not diminish labor rights. The provisions would apply prospectively, subject to the prescribed adjustment periods and implementation phases.

For non-higher education, all institutions would provide mandatory practical training to students for at least 2 hours per school year, beginning at the level determined by the implementing regulations and progressing according to age. The Ministry of Education (Ministerio de Educación) would integrate the training into the education system and determine the levels, content, formats, teaching resources, and practical assessment. All teaching staff would receive practical training annually. Each school would also ensure that at least 2 people among its teaching, administrative, or operational staff hold current certification at each site and on each shift. The implementing regulations would establish distinct phases and forms of support for implementation across different areas of the country.

In higher education, application of the bill would respect university autonomy and academic freedom. It would not impose a specific course or intervene in curricula, teaching methods, or university governance. State verification would be limited to compliance with the minimum staff training standard and its supporting records. All teaching, administrative, and operational staff would receive annual basic training with guided practice. At least 25% of each of those groups would hold current certification, distributed across sites and shifts. Each site and shift would also be required to have 2 certified people, with 1 additional certified person in each critical area identified by the implementing regulations. Student training would be voluntary; student certifications could supplement the response network without replacing the minimum staff requirements. Training could be delivered by trained internal instructors or through contracts or agreements with accredited organizations.

The implementing regulations would define the validity period of certifications, recertification, and technical standards. The Executive Branch (Órgano Ejecutivo) would issue them within 90 calendar days after promulgation, including content by education level, practical assessment, verification, and implementation phases. Institutions would adjust their procedures within 180 calendar days after promulgation; the bill would take effect upon promulgation. Implementation could be coordinated with the Ministry of Health (Ministerio de Salud), SUME 911, the Meritorious Fire Department (Benemérito Cuerpo de Bomberos), and the Panamanian Red Cross (Cruz Roja Panameña). The provisions would be relevant to educational institutions; students; teaching, administrative, and operational staff; health and emergency response agencies; and training and certification organizations.