AUGUSTA — Maine lawmakers have overturned Gov. Paul LePage’s veto of a bill that will provide students the chance to learn how to perform CPR and use automated external defibrillators.

The Republican-controlled Senate voted 31-4 to override LePage’s veto of Republican Rep. Matt Pouliot’s bill on Thursday. The Democratic-led House supported the veto override with a 131-15 vote last week. The bill will now go into law.

The bill will require public high schools to offer AED and CPR training.

In his veto message, LePage said he believes that all Mainers should learn how to do CPR. But he says this measure is an unfunded mandate on schools. He says requiring schools to implement this program would be costly and subvert the control of local school boards.

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