HB0127 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB099 03605 JLK 23613 b

99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2015 and 2016
HB0127

Introduced , by Rep. Mary E. Flowers

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

20 ILCS 2310/2310-685 new

Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Requires the Department of Public Health to establish a 3-year pilot program for the Chicago school district in which the Department shall require an electrocardiogram (EKG) test as part of the health examination that student athletes are required to undergo. Requires the Department and the State Board of Education to develop and post on their publicly accessible Internet websites guidelines and other relevant materials to inform and educate students participating in or desiring to participate in an athletic activity, their parents, and their coaches about the nature and warning signs of sudden cardiac arrest. Sets forth provisions concerning a sudden cardiac arrest symptoms and warning signs information sheet, informational meetings regarding the symptoms and warning signs of sudden cardiac arrest, and a sudden cardiac arrest training course. Provides that (i) a public school student who exhibits signs or symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest while participating in an athletic activity must be removed by the coach from participation at that time, (ii) if a student is known to have exhibited signs or symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest at any time prior to or following an athletic activity, the student must be prevented from participating in an athletic activity, and (iii) a student removed or prevented from participating in an athletic activity shall not return to participation until the student is evaluated and cleared for return to participation in writing by a physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches, certified nurse practitioner, or cardiologist; sets forth penalties.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning education.

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

Section 1. Findings. The General Assembly makes the following findings:

(1) efforts must be made to protect student athletes from sudden cardiac arrest, which claims 7,000 young lives a year;

(2) of those 7,000 lives lost, the vast majority did not know they had a problem;

(3) heart screening to identify those persons at risk for sudden cardiac death saves lives; and

(4) it is imperative that coaches and student athletes learn about the possible symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest and that student athletes get screened.

Section 5. The Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is amended by adding Section 2310-685 as follows:

(20 ILCS 2310/2310-685 new)

Sec. 2310-685. Sudden cardiac arrest prevention.

(a) In this Section:

"Athletic activity" means all of the following:

(1) Interscholastic athletics.

(2) An athletic contest or competition, other than interscholastic athletics, that is sponsored by or associated with a public school, including cheerleading, club-sponsored sports activities, and sports activities sponsored by school-affiliated organizations.

(3) Noncompetitive cheerleading that is sponsored by or associated with a public school.

(4) Practices, interschool practices, and scrimmages for all of the activities listed under items (1), (2), and (3) of this definition.

(b) The Department shall establish a 3-year pilot program for City of Chicago School District 299 in which the Department shall require an electrocardiogram (EKG) test as part of the health examination that student athletes are required to undergo. It shall be the responsibility of the parent or guardian of the student athlete to pay for the cost of the EKG test.

(c) The Department and the State Board of Education shall develop and post on their publicly accessible Internet websites guidelines and other relevant materials to inform and educate students participating in or desiring to participate in an athletic activity, their parents, and their coaches about the nature and warning signs of sudden cardiac arrest, including the risks associated with continuing to play or practice after experiencing one or more symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest, including fainting, difficulty breathing, chest pains, dizziness, and an abnormal racing heart rate.

In developing the guidelines and materials, the Department and the State Board of Education may utilize existing materials developed by organizations such as Parent Heart Watch and the SADS (Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndromes) Foundation.

A public school student participating in or desiring to participate in an athletic activity and the student's parent or guardian shall, each school year and prior to participation by the student in an athletic activity, sign and return to the student's school an acknowledgment of receipt and review of a sudden cardiac arrest symptoms and warning signs information sheet developed by the school board.

(d) A public school may hold an informational meeting prior to the start of each athletic season for all ages of competitors regarding the symptoms and warning signs of sudden cardiac arrest. In addition to students, parents, coaches, and other school officials, informational meetings may include physicians licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches, pediatric cardiologists, and athletic trainers.

(e) A public school student who, as determined by a game official, coach from the student's team, certified athletic trainer, physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches, or other official designated by the student's school, exhibits signs or symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest while participating in an athletic activity must be removed by the coach from participation at that time, subject to this subsection (e).

If a public school student is known to have exhibited signs or symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest at any time prior to or following an athletic activity, the student must be prevented from participating in an athletic activity, subject to this subsection (e).

A student removed or prevented from participating in an athletic activity under this subsection (e) shall not return to participation until the student is evaluated and cleared for return to participation in writing by a physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches, certified nurse practitioner, or cardiologist. In order to help determine whether a student is ready to return to play, the licensed physician or certified nurse practitioner may consult any other licensed or certified medical professionals.

(f) Once each school year, a coach of an athletic activity for a public school shall complete a sudden cardiac arrest training course offered by a provider approved by the Department. A coach of an athletic activity may not coach the athletic activity until the coach completes the training course required under this subsection (f).

(g) A school board shall establish the following minimum penalties for a coach found in violation of the requirements under subsection (e) of this Section, which penalties shall apply 2 years following the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly:

(1) For a first violation, suspension from coaching any athletic activity for the remainder of the season.

(2) For a second violation, suspension from coaching any athletic activity for the remainder of the season and for the next season.

(3) For a third violation, permanent suspension from coaching any athletic activity.

(h) The sponsors of youth athletic activities not associated with a public school are encouraged to follow the guidance stated in this Section.

(i) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to do the following:

(1) abridge or limit any rights provided under a collective bargaining agreement in effect on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly or any rights provided under the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act; or

(2) create, establish, expand, reduce, contract, or eliminate any civil liability on the part of any public school, public school employee, or school board.

(j) The Department and the State Board of Education may adopt any rules necessary to implement this Section.