DOVER, DE--State lawmakers are introducing a bill that would require Delaware students to undergo CPR training in order to receive a high school diploma.

The bill would take effect starting with the class of 2017. Students would have to participate in a CPR educational program in order to earn a diploma from either a public or private school.

The program would incorporate both the skills necessary to perform CPR and the use of an automated external defibrillator, a device that delivers an electrical shock to restore the heart's rhythm.

Supporters of the bill note that 80 percent of cardiac arrests occur outside of hospitals, and that CPR provided immediately after sudden cardiac arrest can double or triple a victim's chance of survival.

SOURCE-AP