HB3589 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 11292 LNS 21378 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB3589

Introduced 2/18/2025, by Rep. Nabeela Syed

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/22-80.5 new

Amends the General Provisions Article of the School Code. Provides that students in grades 9 through 12 must satisfactorily pass a medical evaluation each year and, if applicable, receive an electrocardiogram before participating in an interscholastic athletic activity. Creates a waiver exception. Provides that a student in any grade who participates in an interscholastic athletic activity or who is a candidate for an interscholastic athletic activity's team must satisfactorily pass a medical evaluation each year before participating in the interscholastic athletic activity or engaging in any practice, tryout, workout, conditioning, or other physical activity associated with the student's candidacy for the interscholastic athletic activity. Requires that a medical evaluation only be administered by a licensed health care professional or a physician. Provides requirements for the content of a preparticipation physical evaluation form. Requires that the results of a medical evaluation of a student be provided to the student's school. Effective January 1, 2026.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning education.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section 22-80.5 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/22-80.5 new)

Sec. 22-80.5. Student athletes; medical evaluation and electrocardiogram.

(a) Definitions. In this Section:

"Athletic trainer" means an athletic trainer licensed under the Illinois Athletic Trainers Practice Act who is working under the supervision of a physician.

"Coach" means any volunteer or employee of a school who is responsible for organizing and supervising students to teach them or train them in the fundamental skills of an interscholastic athletic activity. "Coach" refers to both head coaches and assistant coaches.

"Interscholastic athletic activity" means any organized school-sponsored or school-sanctioned activity for students, generally outside of school instructional hours, under the direction of a coach, athletic director, or band leader, including, but not limited to, baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, fencing, field hockey, football, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, marching band, rugby, soccer, skating, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track (indoor and outdoor), ultimate frisbee, volleyball, water polo, and wrestling. All interscholastic athletics are deemed to be interscholastic activities.

"Licensed health care professional" means a person who is a nurse, a physical therapist licensed under the Illinois Physical Therapy Act, an occupational therapist licensed under the Illinois Occupational Therapy Practice Act, a physician assistant, or an athletic trainer.

"Nurse" means a person who is employed by or volunteers at a school and is licensed under the Nurse Practice Act as a registered nurse, practical nurse, or advanced practice registered nurse.

"Physician" means a physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches under the Medical Practice Act of 1987.

"Physician assistant" means a physician assistant licensed under the Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987.

"School" means any public or private elementary or secondary school, including a charter school.

"Student" means an adolescent or child enrolled in a school.

(b) Students in grades 9 through 12 must satisfactorily pass a medical evaluation each year and, if applicable, receive an electrocardiogram before participating in an interscholastic athletic activity. The electrocardiogram may be waived if a parent or guardian of the student objects to the procedure based on religious tenets or practices or submits a written request to waive the requirement.

A student in any grade who participates in an interscholastic athletic activity or who is a candidate for an interscholastic athletic activity's team must satisfactorily pass a medical evaluation each year before participating in the interscholastic athletic activity or engaging in any practice, tryout, workout, conditioning, or other physical activity associated with the student's candidacy for the interscholastic athletic activity, including activities that occur outside of the school year. The medical evaluation may be administered only by a licensed health care professional or a physician.

(c) After a medical evaluation of a student, the licensed health care professional or the physician performing the evaluation must complete a preparticipation physical evaluation form. The evaluation form must incorporate the recommendations of the American Heart Association for participation in cardiovascular screening and include all of the following:

(1) a place for the signature of the licensed health care professional or the physician performing the evaluation with an attestation that each examination procedure listed on the form was performed by the licensed health care professional or the physician or by someone under the direct supervision of the licensed health care professional or the physician;

(2) a place for the licensed health care professional or the physician to indicate if a referral to another practitioner was made instead of the completion of a certain examination procedure;

(3) if applicable, a place for the practitioner to whom the student was referred to complete the remaining sections and attest to that portion of the examination; and

(4) a section advising students to complete a cardiovascular assessment and informing students of information concerning alternative cardiovascular evaluation and diagnostic tests.

(d) Results of a medical evaluation of a student must be provided to the student's school.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January 1, 2026.