Title: Electrocardiograms for Student Athletes

Summary: Requires certain students to receive electrocardiogram to participate in interscholastic athletic competition; provides exemption from such procedure; provides requirements for such exemption.

Full Text:
An act relating to electrocardiograms for student athletes; amending s. 1002.20, F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 1006.20, F.S.; requiring certain students to receive an electrocardiogram to participate in interscholastic athletic competition; providing an exemption from such procedure; providing requirements for such exemption; providing an effective date. Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (17) of section 1002.20, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 1002.20 Kstudent and parent rights.-Parents of public school students must receive accurate and tim ely information regarding their child's academic progress and must be informed of ways they can help their child to succeed in school. K18 students and their parents are afforded numerous statutory rights including, but not limited to, the following: (17) ATHLETICS; PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL.-(b) Medical evaluation and electrocardiogram.-Students must satisfactorily pass a medical evaluation each year and, if applicable, an electrocardiogram before participating in athletics, unless the parent objects in wri ting based on HB 2022 religious tenets or practices or, for an electrocardiogram only, provides a written recommendation stating that the student does not require an electrocardiogram,in accordance with the provisions of s. 1006.20(2)(d). Section 2. Paragraph s(c) and (d) of subsection (2) of section 1006.20, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 1006.20 Athletics in public Kschools.-(2) ADOPTION OF BYLAWS, POLICIES, OR GUIDELINES.-(c)1. The FHSAA shall adopt bylaws that require all students parti cipating in interscholastic athletic competition or who are candidates for an interscholastic athletic team to satisfactorily pass a medical evaluation each year before participating in interscholastic athletic competition or engaging in any practice, tryo ut, workout, conditioning, or other physical activity associated with the student's candidacy for an interscholastic athletic team, including activities that occur outside of the school year. Such medical evaluation may be administered only by a practition er licensed under chapter 458, chapter 459, chapter 460, or s. 464.012 or registered under s. 464.0123 and in good standing with the practitioner's regulatory board. The bylaws shall establish requirements for eliciting a student's medical history and perf orming the medical evaluation required under this paragraph, which shall include a physical assessment of the student's physical capabilities to participate in interscholastic athletic competition as contained in a HB 2022 uniform preparticipation physical evaluat ion and history form. The evaluation form shall incorporate the recommendations of the American Heart Association for participation cardiovascular screening and shall provide a place for the signature of the practitioner performing the evaluation with an a ttestation that each examination procedure listed on the form was performed by the practitioner or by someone under the direct supervision of the practitioner. The form shall also contain a place for the practitioner to indicate if a referral to another pr actitioner was made in lieu of completion of a certain examination procedure. The form shall provide a place for the practitioner to whom the student was referred to complete the remaining sections and attest to that portion of the examination. The preparticipation physical evaluation form shall advise students to complete a cardiovascular assessment and shall include information concerning alternative cardiovascular evaluation and diagnostic tests. Results of such medical evaluation must be provided to the school. A student is not eligible to participate, as provided in s. 1006.15(3), in any interscholastic athletic competition or engage in any practice, tryout, workout, or other physical activity associated with the student's candidacy for an interscholast ic athletic team until the results of the medical evaluation have been received and approved by the school. 2. In addition to the requirements of subparagraph 1., the HB 2022 following students must also receive an electrocardiogram: a. For the 2022-2023 schoo lyear, each student who is participating in interscholastic athletic competition or who is a candidate for an interscholastic athletic team. b. Beginning in the 2023-2024 school year and thereafter, each student in grades through who for the first time is participating in interscholastic athletic competition or who is a candidate for an interscholastic athletic team. c. Beginning in the 2023-2024 school year and thereafter, each student in grades through who for the first time since entering grade is participating in interscholastic athletic competition or who is a candidate for an interscholastic athletic team. (d) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (c), a student may participate in interscholastic athletic competition or be a candidate for an interscholastic athletic team if the parent of the student objects in writing to the student undergoing a medical evaluation or receiving an electroc ardiogram because such evaluation or electrocardiogram is contrary to his or her religious tenets or practices. However, in such case, there shall be no liability on the part of any person or entity in a position to otherwise rely on the results of such me dical evaluation or electrocardiogram for any damages resulting from the student's injury or death arising directly from the student's participation in interscholastic HB 2022 athletics where an undisclosed medical condition that would have been revealed in the me dical evaluation or electrocardiogram is a proximate cause of the injury or death. If the parent of a student objects in writing to the student receiving an electrocardiogram because such electrocardiogram is contrary to his or her religious tenets or prac tices, such parent must provide a written release of such liability from an attorney in good standing with The Florida Bar. Such parent may also provide a written recommendation stating that the student does not require an electrocardiogram from a practiti oner licensed under chapter or chapter and in good standing with the practitioner's regulatory board. Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022.