The ACC’s West Virginia Chapter achieved three important victories in this year's legislative session. Two bills strongly supported by the chapter were enacted and a pro-smoking measure was defeated.

Legislation was passed requiring public school students in West Virginia to complete a course in hands-on instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation in order to graduate. West Virginia becomes the 21st state to enact such a law.

The state also passed shared use legislation which allows schools that choose to open their doors to community groups for recreational purposes to do so and protects them against frivolous lawsuits. West Virginia becomes the 31st state to enact shared use legislation. A bill strongly opposed by the West Virginia Chapter, the American Heart Association and the West Virginia State Medical Association was killed by the House Committee on Health and Human Resources which refused to consider it. The bill, as passed by the Senate, would have exempted veterans' organizations and active duty military organizations from county indoor smoking rules (West Virginia does not have a statewide Smoke Free law). The bill also would have permitted smoking in establishments restricted to persons age 18 years or older.

Keywords: American Heart Association, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, Intellectual Disability, Military Personnel, Smoke, Smoking, Students, United States, Veterans, West Virginia

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