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By the end of the week, Longview Independent School District should be in compliance with a new law that requires heart defibrillators on each campus, officials said Wednesday. But the upfront cost to the district is about $27,000.

The law, Senate Bill 7, took effect Sept. 1. It also requires an automated external defibrillator at athletic events and practices, along with a trained employee at each site where a machine is located.

The devices are used on people who are suspected of having a heart attack and instructs users through voice prompts, lights and text messages whether a shock is required, according to the American Heart Association.

Defibrillators are in place at Longview High School, Doris McQueen Primary School, Hudson PEP Elementary School, Student Development Center and at the three middle schools, district spokesman Brian Bowman said.

Bowman said another 17 units will be purchased and delivered this week for placement at all other campuses and at the transportation and administration buildings. Training will be conducted upon delivery, he said.

Pine Tree Independent School District took delivery of eight defibrillators about a week ago, said Vickie Echols, district spokeswoman. She said Pine Tree paid about $14,300 for the units, and all district athletic trainers and nurses would be instructed on proper use.

Hallsville schools were in compliance four years ago, said school spokeswoman Carol Greer.

"The American Heart Association actually donated the first one four years ago, and we began training nurses, administrators and other personnel then," Greer said.

"The next year, we bought defibrillators out of our regular budget because we saw a need and thought it was important."

Some schools across the state hesitated in purchasing the mandated devices — which cost between $1,500 and $2,000 each — because of state reimbursement questions and other issues. An Aug. 31 letter to administrators from the Texas Education Agency said school districts would share in a $9 million appropriation to help offset local costs.

However, the letter also stated that rules on how schools can recoup defibrillator expenses won't be introduced until October and the money won't be available until at least Jan. 1.

"In a nutshell, the Legislature passed a bill, and TEA still does not have the rules and regulations set, but they wanted us to have these in place by Sept. 1," LISD Superintendent James Wilcox said.

"There are many unanswered questions with Senate Bill 7, but we are still going to move forward with the purchase and with the placement of the AEDs on all campuses and buildings in the district," he said.