STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator PATRICK J. DIEGNAN, JR.
District 18 (Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Requires all students enrolled in grades six through 12 to have certain physical examination that includes cardiac component.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning physicals for certain students and supplementing chapter 40 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The board of education of a public school district and the governing board or chief school administrator of a nonpublic school shall require that each student enrolled in grades six through 12 have a physical examination using the “Preparticipation Physical Evaluation” form developed pursuant to subsection a. of section 2 of P.L.2013, c.71 (C.18A:40-41.7). The licensed physician, advanced practice nurse, or physician assistant who performs the physical examination shall sign the form’s certification statement attesting to the completion of the professional development module developed pursuant to subsection a. of section 3 of P.L.2013, c.71 (C.18A:40-41d). The board of education of a public school district and the governing board or chief school administrator of a nonpublic school shall retain the original signed statement to attest to the qualifications of the health care practitioner to perform the physical examination required pursuant to this subsection.
b. A student enrolled in grades six through 12 who participates on a school-sponsored interscholastic or intramural athletic team or squad shall satisfy the requirements of subsection a. of this section in accordance with the provisions of the “Scholastic Student-Athlete Safety Act,” P.L.2013, c.71 (C.18A:40-41.6 et seq.).
2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall first be applicable to the 2023-2024 school year.
STATEMENT
This bill requires that every student enrolled in grades six through 12 in a public or nonpublic school undergo a physical examination using the “Preparticipation Physical Evaluation” form. The licensed physician, advanced practice nurse, or physician assistant who performs the physical examination will sign the form’s certification statement attesting to the completion of the Student-Athlete Cardiac Screening professional development module developed pursuant to current law. The school will retain the original signed statement to attest to the qualifications of the health care practitioner to perform the physical examination.
Under current law, a student enrolled in grades six through 12, who is on a school-sponsored interscholastic or intramural athletic team or squad, is required to have a physical examination using the “Preparticipation Physical Evaluation” form. Current law also specifies that the physician, advanced practice nurse, or physician assistant who conducts the physical is required to complete a Student-Athlete Cardiac Screening professional development module to increase the assessment skills of those health care practitioners. That training module emphasizes the ability to recognize and identify symptoms of cardiac disease and cardiac abnormalities among students.