Sports physicals would screen student athletes for heart risks

Health professionals would screen student athletes for heart risks during sports physicals and refer those with positive findings to a cardiologist. This applies to student athletes in kindergarten through grade 12 who receive a physical examination. The screening must follow nationally recognized, evidence-based guidelines for children's heart care. The requirement starts in the 2027–2028 school year. The screening must take place no earlier than three months before the student's athletic season.

Health professionals would include a heart risk screening in students' annual well-child visits. This applies to patients in kindergarten through grade 12 who have an annual well-child visit. The screening must follow nationally recognized, evidence-based guidelines for children's heart care. The requirement starts in the 2028–2029 school year.

The State Board of Education and Department of Public Health would distribute information about diseases that can cause sudden cardiac arrest and heart failure. The state agencies would distribute materials to children, families, and school districts; districts would send them to families of student athletes. The materials must follow evidence-based guidelines. School districts must send the materials each year to parents or guardians of students in school athletics as part of the athletic permission form. Districts' annual distribution starts in the 2027–2028 school year.

The Department of Public Health would train health professionals on screening and referrals and publish annual reports on screenings and referrals. Training is for health professionals; reports cover screenings and referrals for each school year. Reports must include screening totals, referrals, and specified follow-up and positive-finding information. Follow-up data, including false-positive rates, is included if possible. Reports would be annual. The bill gives no start date for the training or reporting duties.