(a) For the school year commencing July 1, 2016, and each school year thereafter, each local and regional board of education shall include cardiopulmonary resuscitation instruction as part of the health and safety curriculum for the school district. Such instruction shall be based on guidelines for emergency cardiovascular care issued by the American Heart Association, and include, but need not be limited to, hands-on training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

(b) A local or regional board of education may accept gifts, grants and donations, including, but not limited to, in-kind donations, designated for the purchase of equipment or materials needed to provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation instruction under this section.