The bill amends the "Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act" by requiring the department of education and the department of health to develop guidelines to educate coaches, teachers, school nurses, youth athletes, and their parents or guardians about the nature and warning signs of sudden cardiac arrest. It specifies symptoms such as fainting, seizures during exercise, unexplained shortness of breath, chest pains, dizziness, racing heart rate, and extreme fatigue. The bill also allows school districts to use free training materials from organizations like Simon’s Fund, Parent Heart Watch, and others, and mandates that all coaches and volunteers complete a training course on sudden cardiac arrest. Parents and guardians must be provided with information on the condition before every sports season.

The bill outlines procedures for when a student exhibits signs of sudden cardiac arrest during athletic activities, including immediate removal from the activity and the requirement that the student cannot return to participation without written clearance from a licensed physician, certified registered nurse practitioner, or cardiologist. Additionally, the bill changes the language from "encouraged" to "required," making it mandatory for all school districts to have an athletic trainer or similarly trained person present at all recreational and athletic events. The act will take effect upon passage.

Statutes affected:
5670: 16-91.1-3