98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
SB1711

 

Introduced 2/15/2013, by Sen. Michael E. Hastings

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act. Provides that the Act applies to public schools, school districts, and recognized nonpublic schools. Requires the Department of Public Health 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 student who exhibits signs or symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest while participating in an athletic activity must be removed by the team's head 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 team's head coach shall prevent the student 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. Contains provisions concerning other youth athletic activities, construction of the Act, and agency rules. Effective 60 days after becoming law.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Sudden
5Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act.
 
6    Section 5. Definitions. The following words and phrases
7when used in this Act shall have the meanings given to them in
8this Section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
9    "Athletic activity" means all of the following:
10        (1) Interscholastic athletics.
11        (2) An athletic contest or competition, other than
12    interscholastic athletics, that is sponsored by or
13    associated with a school entity, including cheerleading,
14    club-sponsored sports activities, and sports activities
15    sponsored by school-affiliated organizations.
16        (3) Noncompetitive cheerleading that is sponsored by
17    or associated with a school entity.
18        (4) Practices, interschool practices, and scrimmages
19    for all of the activities listed under items (1), (2), and
20    (3) of this definition.
21    "Department" means the Department of Public Health.
22    "Interscholastic athletics" means all athletic contests or
23competitions conducted between or among school entities.

 

 

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1    "School entity" means a public school, school district, or
2nonpublic school recognized by the State Board of Education.
3    "State Board" means the State Board of Education.
 
4    Section 10. Sudden cardiac arrest.
5    (a) The Department and the State Board shall develop and
6post on their publicly accessible Internet websites guidelines
7and other relevant materials, including without limitation a
8sudden cardiac arrest symptoms and warning signs information
9sheet, to inform and educate students participating in or
10desiring to participate in an athletic activity, their parents,
11and their coaches about the nature and warning signs of sudden
12cardiac arrest, including the risks associated with continuing
13to play or practice after experiencing one or more symptoms of
14sudden cardiac arrest, including fainting, difficulty
15breathing, chest pains, dizziness, and abnormal racing heart
16rate.
17    In developing the guidelines and materials, the Department
18and the State Board may utilize existing materials developed by
19organizations such as Parent Heart Watch and Sudden Arrhythmia
20Death Syndromes.
21    A student participating in or desiring to participate in an
22athletic activity and the student's parent or guardian shall,
23each school year and prior to participation by the student in
24an athletic activity, sign and return to the student's school
25an acknowledgment of receipt and review of a sudden cardiac

 

 

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1arrest symptoms and warning signs information sheet developed
2under this subsection (a).
3    (b) A school entity may hold an informational meeting prior
4to the start of each athletic season for all ages of
5competitors regarding the symptoms and warning signs of sudden
6cardiac arrest. In addition to students, parents, coaches, and
7other school officials, informational meetings may include
8physicians licensed to practice medicine in all of its
9branches, pediatric cardiologists, and athletic trainers.
10    (c) A student who, as determined by a game official, coach
11from the student's team, certified athletic trainer, physician
12licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches, or other
13official designated by the student's school entity, exhibits
14signs or symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest while participating
15in an athletic activity must be removed by the team's head
16coach from participation at that time, subject to this
17subsection (c).
18    If a student is known to have exhibited signs or symptoms
19of sudden cardiac arrest at any time prior to or following an
20athletic activity, the team's head coach shall prevent the
21student from participating in an athletic activity, subject to
22this subsection (c).
23    A student removed or prevented from participating in an
24athletic activity under this subsection (c) shall not return to
25participation until the student is evaluated and cleared for
26return to participation in writing by a physician licensed to

 

 

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1practice medicine in all of its branches, certified nurse
2practitioner, or cardiologist. In order to help determine
3whether a student is ready to return to play, the physician
4licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches, certified
5nurse practitioner, or cardiologist may consult any other
6licensed or certified medical professionals.
7    (d) Once each school year, a coach of an athletic activity
8shall complete a sudden cardiac arrest training course offered
9by a provider approved by the Department. A coach of an
10athletic activity shall not coach the athletic activity until
11the coach completes the training course required under this
12subsection (d).
13    (e) The governing body of a school entity shall establish
14the following minimum penalties for a coach found in violation
15of subsection (c) of this Section, which penalties shall apply
162 years following the effective date of this Act:
17        (1) For a first violation, suspension from coaching any
18    athletic activity for the remainder of the season.
19        (2) For a second violation, suspension from coaching
20    any athletic activity for the remainder of the season and
21    for the next season.
22        (3) For a third violation, permanent suspension from
23    coaching any athletic activity.
 
24    Section 15. Other youth athletic activities. The sponsors
25of youth athletic activities not associated with a school

 

 

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1entity are encouraged to follow this Act.
 
2    Section 80. Construction. Nothing in this Act shall be
3construed to do the following:
4        (1) abridge or limit any rights provided under a
5    collective bargaining agreement in effect on the effective
6    date of this Act or any rights provided under the Illinois
7    Educational Labor Relations Act; or
8        (2) create, establish, expand, reduce, contract, or
9    eliminate any civil liability on the part of any school
10    entity or school employee.
 
11    Section 85. Rules. The Department and the State Board may
12adopt any rules necessary to implement this Act.
 
13    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect 60 days
14after becoming law.