Assemblymember Rodriguez’s Legislation to ‘STOP THE BLEED’ is Headed to the Governor’s Desk for Final Consideration

Assemblymember Rodriguez’s Legislation to ‘STOP THE BLEED’ is Headed to the Governor’s Desk for Final Consideration

(Sacramento, CA) – Assembly Bill (AB) 2260, authored by Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez (D – Pomona), passed the State Assembly and is now on its way to the Governor’s desk for his consideration. This bill will help prepare Californians to treat people needing emergency medical care during a traumatic emergency by requiring specific public and private buildings to install and maintain six trauma kits on their premises.

“I am pleased to have moved this legislation through the process and have it reach its final hurdle. This legislation is vital to save lives when a mass shooting occurs, and bystanders wait for first responders to arrive on the scene. Unfortunately, these tragedies have become all too common, and having these trauma kits readily available for bystanders to act as immediate responders is the best way to prevent unnecessary loss of life,” stated Assemblymember Rodriguez. 

Following the devastating mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, a group of doctors convened a panel of national experts with backgrounds in law enforcement and emergency medical services to create an improved response system in hopes of controlling life-threatening blood loss. These recommendations concluded that bystanders should be trained and empowered to perform as immediate responders to assist in stopping the bleed while waiting for professional help.

Since 2015, STOP THE BLEED has been a national public awareness campaign, training more people to properly use trauma kits and begin life-saving efforts while waiting for emergency medical care to arrive. They have found multiple ways to control bleeding in an emergency, including use of a tourniquet. In just five minutes, someone suffering severe blood loss can lose their life, so these trauma kits must be installed in accessible locations to provide Californians with a greater chance of survival.

“I am proud to have authored legislation to better equip Californians to save lives. As a career first responder, I have seen firsthand how quickly someone can lose blood and risk losing their life. This past April, I continued my educational efforts surrounding STOP THE BLEED by hosting a training on the use of these trauma kits within the State Capitol. Training Legislators and staff at this event was a great start, and I look forward to continuing this training statewide should this legislation become law,” added Assemblymember Rodriguez.

Assemblymember Rodriguez (Twitter) represents the 53rd Assembly District which includes the cities of Chino, Montclair, Ontario, Pomona, and Upland. He is Chair of the Assembly Committee on Emergency Management.