The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Local News

February 22, 2011

CPR training law would be Hannah’s ‘legacy’

By Mark Fischenich Free Press Staff Writer

Legislation requiring teachers at day care centers to be trained in CPR, which was inspired by the choking death of a 4-year-old at a North Mankato day care in June, received unanimous support in its first state House committee hearing Tuesday.

“We wonder if the people who attended to Hannah had been certified, if it would have made a difference,” said Ron Edlund, grandfather of Hannah Kozitza. “I don’t know. All I know is I don’t want anybody to have to go through what we’re going through.”

Edlund did the testifying, but the 4-year-old’s parents — Justin and Jenni Kozitza — were with him at the table facing the House Health and Human Services Reform Committee Tuesday.

It was Edlund, shocked that current law requires only one CPR-trained staff member at sometimes very large child care centers, who pushed the idea of requiring all child care center teachers and assistant teachers to be trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

A Lakeville resident, Edlund went to Rep. Mary Liz Holberg, R-Lakeville, to sponsor the bill. Rep. Terry Morrow, a St. Peter Democrat whose district includes North Mankato, is a co-sponsor.

“The bill is really quite simple,” Holberg said. “We hope the effects are great.”

Hannah died after choking on a grape at the Golden Heart Child Care Center on June 17. A state investigation found that staff waited too long — at least two minutes — attempting to call two family members before seeking emergency responders.

A supervisor trained in CPR wasn’t in the room when Hannah began to choke but was summoned and reported attempting CPR before the officers arrived, although the first officer on the scene reported that the girl “was on the floor unresponsive with staff members standing around not touching her.”

The state report said it was possible the supervisor saw the officer before the officer saw them and moved aside to make room.

Holberg said her legislation, which would be named “Hannah’s Law,” would guarantee that a CPR-trained teacher or assistant teacher was always on hand in day care centers.

“We’ll raise the standard and hopefully never have this happen again in one of our licensed day care facilities in the state,” she said.

Jerry Kerber, who oversees day care licensing for the state Department of Human Services, said the legislation would apply to about 1,600 child care centers, which tend to be the largest day care providers. There are also about 12,000 licensed family child care providers, which tend to have a smaller number of children in their care.

Kerber said current law requires the license-holder of a family child care provider facility be trained in CPR. Since those operations tend to be small enough that the license holder is operating solo or with a single assistant, those operations already typically have a CPR-trained caregiver with the children at all times.

Holberg said she has heard no opposition to the bill, and a representative of the American Red Cross testified in favor. Asked the cost of obtaining the CPR training, which would be required every three years, the Red Cross said prices vary widely but are $60 or less in the Twin Cities.

Edlund asked lawmakers to pass the bill for Hannah: “If this bill saves one child, Hannah will have a legacy and it will be worth it.”

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