S2367

An Act concerning the health of student-athletes, amending P.L.2007, c.125, and supplementing chapter 3A of Title 15A and 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. (New section) Sections 2 through 5 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) and P.L.2007, c.125 (C.18A:40-41) shall be known and may be cited as the “Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act.”

2. (New section) As used in sections 3 through 5 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), “athletic activity” means: interscholastic athletics; an athletic contest or competition, other than interscholastic athletics, that is sponsored by or associated with a school district or nonpublic school, including cheerleading and club-sponsored sports activities; and any practice or interschool practice or scrimmage for those activities.

3. (New section) A school district or nonpublic school may hold an informational meeting prior to the start of each athletic season for students-athletes, their parents or guardians, coaches, athletic trainers, the school physician, school nurses, and other school officials on the nature, risk, symptoms and early warning signs, prevention, and treatment of sudden cardiac arrest.

4. (New section) a. A student who exhibits symptoms or early warning signs of sudden cardiac arrest, as determined by a game official, team coach, athletic trainer, licensed physician, or other official designated by the student’s school while participating in an athletic activity, shall be immediately removed from the athletic activity by the coach. The student shall not be eligible to return to athletic activity until he is evaluated and receives written clearance from a licensed physician, nurse practitioner, or cardiologist.

b. A student who exhibits symptoms or early warning signs of sudden cardiac arrest at any time prior to or following an athletic activity shall be prohibited from participating in an athletic activity. The student shall not be eligible to return to athletic activity until he is evaluated and receives written clearance from a licensed physician, nurse practitioner, or cardiologist.

c. A person who coaches a school district or nonpublic school athletic activity who knowingly violates the provisions of subsections a. or b. of this section shall be:

(1) suspended from coaching any athletic activity for the remainder of the season for a first violation;

(2) suspended from coaching any athletic activity for the remainder of the season and the entire next season for a second violation; and

(3) permanently suspended from coaching any athletic activity for a third violation.

5. (New section) Beginning in the 2013-2014 school year and in each school year thereafter, a person who coaches a school district or nonpublic school athletic activity shall complete a sudden cardiac arrest prevention program prior to the start of the first athletic activity that the person is scheduled to coach. The Department of Education shall approve the training provider and shall ensure that the prevention program reflects the most current information available on the nature, risk, symptoms and early warning signs, prevention, and treatment of sudden cardiac arrest.

6. (New section) All nonprofit youth-serving organizations as defined in section 1 of P.L.1999, c.432 (C.15A:3A-1) including, but not limited to, Little Leagues, Babe Ruth Leagues, Pop Warner Leagues, Police Athletic Leagues, and youth soccer leagues, which organize, sponsor, or are otherwise affiliated with youth athletic events, are encouraged to:

a. direct the parent or guardian of each child participating in a youth athletic event to the sudden cardiac arrest information posted on the Department of Education’s website pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2007, c.125 (C.18A:40-41); and

b. follow the protocol concerning removal-from-play established pursuant to section 4 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) of a child who exhibits symptoms or early warning signs of sudden cardiac arrest during a youth athletic event, or who exhibits symptoms or early warning signs of sudden cardiac arrest at any time prior to or following a youth athletic event.

7. Section 1 of P.L.2007, c.125 (C.18A:40-41) is amended to read as follows:

1. a. The Commissioner of Education, in consultation with the Commissioner of Health, the American Heart Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, shall develop a pamphlet that provides information about sudden cardiac arrest or death to the parents or guardians of student athletes and shall post the information on the Department of Education’s website. The pamphlet shall include: an explanation of sudden cardiac arrest or death[,]; its incidence among student athletes[,]; a description of symptoms and early warning signs, including fainting, labored breathing, chest pains, dizziness and abnormal heart rate, and the risks associated with continuing to play or practice after experiencing one or more of the symptoms; [and] an overview of the options that are privately available to screen for cardiac conditions that may lead to sudden cardiac arrest or death, including a statement about the limitations of these options; and a form to be signed by the student athlete and his parent or guardian acknowledging receipt and review of the pamphlet.

b. The commissioner shall distribute the pamphlet, at no charge, to all school districts and nonpublic schools in the State[. The commissioner] and shall update the pamphlet as necessary[, and shall make additional copies available to nonpublic schools upon request].

c. [In the 2007-2008 school year and in each school year thereafter, each] Each school district and nonpublic school shall distribute the pamphlet to the parents or guardians of students participating in [school sports] athletic activities.

d. A student participating in or desiring to participate in an athletic activity and the student’s parent or guardian shall, each year and prior to participation by the student in an athletic activity, sign and return to the student’s school the form developed by the commissioner pursuant to subsection a. of this section acknowledging the receipt and review of the informational pamphlet.

e. As used in this section, “athletic activity” means: interscholastic athletics; an athletic contest or competition, other than interscholastic athletics, that is sponsored by or associated with a school district or nonpublic school, including cheerleading and club-sponsored sports activities; and any practice or interschool practice or scrimmage for those activities.

(cf: P.L.2012, c.17, s.80)

8. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill is entitled the “Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act.” The act imposes various requirements designed to: provide student-athletes, their parents or guardians, coaches and other school officials with information concerning the nature and symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest; establish protocols for the removal-from-play of student-athletes who experience symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest while participating in athletic activities or prior to or after such participation; and requires coaches to complete sudden cardiac arrest prevention training. These requirements are applicable to athletic activities that are sponsored by or associated with a school district or nonpublic school, including interscholastic athletics.

Under current law, the Commissioner of Education is required to develop a pamphlet that provides the parents and guardians of student-athletes with information about sudden cardiac death. The pamphlet is distributed to each school district in the State. This act makes various changes to that law, including requiring that the pamphlet: includes certain specific symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest; is also distributed to nonpublic schools; and includes a form to be signed by the student-athlete and his parent or guardian acknowledging receipt and review of the pamphlet. Under the bill, in order to be eligible to participate in an athletic activity, each student-athlete and his parent or guardian must sign the form and return it to his school.

The bill also establishes protocols for the removal-from-play of student-athletes exhibiting symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest. A student-athlete who exhibits symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest while participating in an athletic activity must be immediately removed from the activity by the team coach. A student who exhibits symptoms prior to or after athletic participation is prohibited from such participation. The student will not be eligible to return to athletic activity until he is evaluated and receives written clearance from a licensed physician, nurse practitioner, or cardiologist. The bill specifies certain penalties for coaches who knowingly violate the removal-from-play protocols.

The bill also provides that, beginning with the 2013-2014 school year and in each school year thereafter, a person who coaches a school district or nonpublic school athletic activity must complete a sudden cardiac arrest prevention program which reflects the most current information available on the nature, risk, symptoms and early warning signs, prevention and treatment of sudden cardiac arrest.