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| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
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| SENATE BILL |
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| INTRODUCED BY BLAKE, TARTAGLIONE, FONTANA, WASHINGTON, ERICKSON, RAFFERTY, WILLIAMS, COSTA, BOSCOLA, BAKER, BREWSTER, BROWNE, ALLOWAY, MENSCH AND FARNESE, JANUARY 3, 2012 |
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| REFERRED TO EDUCATION, JANUARY 3, 2012 |
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| AN ACT |
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1 | Establishing standards for preventing sudden cardiac arrest and |
2 | death in student athletes; assigning duties to the Department |
3 | of Health and the Department of Education; and imposing |
4 | penalties. |
5 | The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
6 | hereby enacts as follows: |
7 | Section 1. Short title. |
8 | This act shall be known and may be cited as the Sudden |
9 | Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act. |
10 | Section 2. Definitions. |
11 | The following words and phrases when used in this act shall |
12 | have the meanings given to them in this section unless the |
13 | context clearly indicates otherwise: |
14 | "Athletic activity." All of the following: |
15 | (1) Interscholastic athletics. |
16 | (2) An athletic contest or competition, other than |
17 | interscholastic athletics, that is sponsored by or associated |
18 | with a school entity, including cheerleading, club-sponsored |
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1 | sports activities and sports activities sponsored by school- |
2 | affiliated organizations. |
3 | (3) Noncompetitive cheerleading that is sponsored by or |
4 | associated with a school entity. |
5 | (4) Practices, interschool practices and scrimmages for |
6 | all of the activities listed under paragraphs (1), (2) and |
7 | (3). |
8 | "Department." The Department of Health of the Commonwealth. |
9 | "Interscholastic athletics." As defined in section 1602-A of |
10 | the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public |
11 | School Code of 1949. |
12 | "School entity." As defined in section 1602-A of the act of |
13 | March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code |
14 | of 1949. |
15 | Section 3. Sudden cardiac arrest. |
16 | (a) Educational materials.-- |
17 | (1) The department and the Department of Education shall |
18 | develop and post on their publicly accessible Internet |
19 | websites guidelines and other relevant materials to inform |
20 | and educate students participating in or desiring to |
21 | participate in an athletic activity, their parents and their |
22 | coaches about the nature and warning signs of sudden cardiac |
23 | arrest, including the risks associated with continuing to |
24 | play or practice after experiencing the following symptoms: |
25 | fainting, difficulty breathing, chest pains, dizziness and |
26 | racing heart rate. |
27 | (2) In developing the guidelines and materials, the |
28 | department and the Department of Education may utilize |
29 | existing materials developed by organizations, such as Parent |
30 | Heart Watch and Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndromes. |
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1 | (3) A student participating in or desiring to |
2 | participate in an athletic activity and the student's parent |
3 | or guardian shall, each school year and prior to |
4 | participation by the student in an athletic activity, sign |
5 | and return to the student's school an acknowledgment of |
6 | receipt and review of the sudden cardiac arrest symptoms and |
7 | warning sign information sheet developed under this |
8 | subsection. |
9 | (b) Informational meeting.--A school entity may hold an |
10 | informational meeting prior to the start of each athletic season |
11 | for all ages of competitors regarding the symptoms and warning |
12 | signs of sudden cardiac arrest. In addition to students, |
13 | parents, coaches and other school officials, informational |
14 | meetings may include physicians, pediatric cardiologists and |
15 | athletic trainers. |
16 | (c) Removal from play.-- |
17 | (1) A student who, as determined by a game official, |
18 | coach from the student's team, certified athletic trainer, |
19 | licensed physician or other official designated by the |
20 | student's school entity, exhibits signs or symptoms of sudden |
21 | cardiac arrest while participating in an athletic activity |
22 | shall be removed by the coach from participation at that |
23 | time. |
24 | (2) If a student is known to have exhibited signs or |
25 | symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest at any time prior to or |
26 | following an athletic activity, the student shall be |
27 | prevented from participating in an athletic activity. |
28 | (3) The student shall not return to participation in an |
29 | athletic activity until the student is evaluated and cleared |
30 | for return to participation in writing by an appropriate |
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1 | medical professional. |
2 | (4) In order to help determine whether a student is |
3 | ready to return to play, the appropriate medical professional |
4 | may consult any other licensed or certified medical |
5 | professionals. |
6 | (d) Training course.-- |
7 | (1) Once each school year, a coach of an athletic |
8 | activity shall complete the sudden cardiac arrest training |
9 | course offered by a provider approved by the department. |
10 | (2) A coach of an athletic activity shall not coach the |
11 | athletic activity until the coach completes the training |
12 | course required under this subsection. |
13 | (e) Penalties.--The governing body of a school entity shall |
14 | establish the following minimum penalties for a coach found in |
15 | violation of the requirements under subsection (c), which |
16 | penalties shall take effect two years following the effective |
17 | date of this section: |
18 | (1) For a first violation, suspension from coaching any |
19 | athletic activity for the remainder of the season. |
20 | (2) For a second violation, suspension from coaching any |
21 | athletic activity for the remainder of the season and for the |
22 | next season. |
23 | (3) For a third violation, permanent suspension from |
24 | coaching any athletic activity. |
25 | (f) Other youth athletic activities.--The sponsors of youth |
26 | athletic activities are encouraged to follow the guidance stated |
27 | in this act. |
28 | (g) Construction.--Nothing in this act shall be construed |
29 | to: |
30 | (1) abridge or limit any rights provided under a |
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1 | collective bargaining agreement or any rights provided under |
2 | the act of July 23, 1970 (P.L.563, No.195), known as the |
3 | Public Employe Relations Act; or |
4 | (2) create, establish, expand, reduce, contract or |
5 | eliminate any civil liability on the part of any school |
6 | entity or school employee. |
7 | Section 4. Effective date. |
8 | This act shall take effect in 60 days. |
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