Relating to establishing standards for the prevention of a sudden cardiac arrest in student athletes

This bill relates to the establishment of standards for the prevention of a sudden cardiac arrest in student athletes. The bill includes definitions used in the bill including “sudden cardiac arrest” which means a life-threatening medical emergency characterized by the sudden cessation of cardiac activity causing circulatory failure throughout the body and “student” which means a student enrolled in a public school or nonpublic school. The bill requires the department of public health (DPH), the Iowa high school athletic association, and the Iowa girls high school athletic union to collaborate to develop and distribute guidelines and other pertinent information materials to inform and educate coaches, students participating in or desiring to participate in an athletic activity, and the parents and guardians of such students about the nature and warning signs of a sudden cardiac arrest, including the risks associated with continuing to participate in or practice an athletic activity after experiencing the symptoms of a sudden cardiac arrest. In developing the guidelines and materials, the collaborating entities may utilize, at no cost to the state, existing evidence-based materials developed by organizations such as Simon’s heart and parent heart watch. For school years beginning on or after July 1, 2020, the board of directors of each public school district and the authorities in charge of each nonpublic school are required to provide to the parent or guardian of each student participating in or desiring to participate in an athletic activity a sudden cardiac arrest information sheet, and each school year, the student and the student’s parent or guardian is required to sign and return an acknowledgment of receipt and review of the sudden cardiac arrest information sheet to the student’s school prior to the student’s participation in an athletic activity. The bill provides that each public school district and nonpublic school may hold an informational meeting prior to the start of each athletic season for all ages of students regarding the symptoms and warning signs of a sudden cardiac arrest. In addition to students, parents and guardians of students, and coaches, the informational meetings may include physicians, pediatric cardiologists, and athletic trainers. A student, as determined by the student’s coach, an official, a licensed health care provider, or other official designated by the student’s school, who passes out or faints or exhibits any signs or symptoms of a sudden cardiac arrest while participating in an athletic activity shall be removed immediately from participation in the athletic activity. A student who has been removed from participation in an athletic activity shall not recommence participation or participate in any athletic activity until the student has been evaluated by a licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and management of a sudden cardiac arrest and the student has received written clearance to return to or commence participation in an athletic activity from an appropriate licensed health care provider. The bill requires DPH, the Iowa high school athletic association, and the Iowa girls high school athletic union to collaborate to develop training materials and courses regarding a sudden cardiac arrest. The training materials used may include those provided, at no cost to the state, by organizations such as Simon’s heart and parent heart watch. Each coach of a student participating in an athletic activity and each official shall complete the training on an annual basis and submit proof of such completion to the Iowa high school athletic association or the Iowa girls high school athletic union, as applicable.