SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5083

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

As of January 28, 2015

Title: An act relating to the awareness of sudden cardiac arrest for students engaged in athletic activity.

Brief Description: Enacting the sudden cardiac arrest awareness act.

Sponsors: Senators McAuliffe, Litzow, Rolfes, McCoy, Billig, Darneille, Kohl-Welles, Frockt and Fraser.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Early Learning & K-12 Education: 1/22/15.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EARLY LEARNING & K-12 EDUCATION

Staff: Ailey Kato (786-7434)

Background: Sudden cardiac death is the result of an unexpected failure of proper heart function that may occur during or immediately after exercise. It is reported that cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in youth athletes.

According to statute, the Washington State School Directors' Association (WSSDA) was created out of a public necessity for the coordination of programs and procedures pertaining to policymaking and to control and management among the school districts of the state.

The University of Washington Center for Sports Cardiology aims to advance the cardiovascular care of athletes and physically active patients of all ages. This center is a collaboration between sports medicine and cardiology specialists to establish clinical and academic resources.

Summary of Bill: The stated intent of the Legislature is to make students engaged in athletic activity, their families, and coaches aware of sudden cardiac arrest.

Online Pamphlet. WSSDA, in collaboration with a nonprofit organization that educates communities about sudden cardiac arrest in young athletes and the University of Washington Center for Sports Cardiology, must develop and make available an online pamphlet that provides students engaged in athletic activity, their parents or guardians, and coaches with information about sudden cardiac arrest. The online pamphlet must include information on the nature, risk, symptoms and warning signs, prevention, and treatment of sudden cardiac arrest. The online pamphlet must be posted on the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction's website. School districts must disseminate information on how to access the online pamphlet to students who will be engaged in athletic activity, their parents or guardians, and coaches who supervise these students.

Beginning in the 2015-16 school year, school districts must have students who will be engaged in an athletic activity and their parents or guardians sign a form that states they reviewed the online pamphlet. The forms must be returned to the school district before students engage in any athletic activity each school year.

Informational Meeting. School districts must hold an informational meeting at the beginning of each school year that reviews the nature, risk, symptoms and warning signs, prevention, and treatment of sudden cardiac arrest. Students engaged in an athletic activity, their parents or guardians, coaches, athletic trainers, school and team physicians, school nurses, and other school officials may attend the meeting. School districts may collaborate with nonprofit organizations that educate communities about sudden cardiac arrest in young athletes to hold the informational meeting.

Online Prevention Program for Coaches. WSSDA, in collaboration with an organization that provides educational training for safe participation in athletic activity, must make available an existing online sudden cardiac arrest prevention program for coaches.

Beginning in the 2015-16 school year, school districts must require coaches to complete the online sudden cardiac arrest prevention program before the start of the first athletic activity that the person is scheduled to coach. Coaches must provide a certificate showing completion of the online sudden cardiac arrest prevention program to the school district every four years.

Athletic activity is defined as interscholastic sports; an athletic contest or competition, other than interscholastic sports, that is sponsored by or associated with a public school district, including cheerleading and club-sponsored sports activities; and any practice or interschool practice or scrimmage for those sports or activities. Coaches means any persons responsible for the supervision of students engaged in athletic activity, including volunteers and full-time and part-time employees of a school district.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: The online prevention program for coaches takes 20 minutes. This bill will save young athletes' lives. This bill is important for parents and students, so that they can recognize signs and symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest, which can be difficult to detect. The typical sports physical may not catch these signs and symptoms. Many parents, students, and coaches may not be aware of sudden cardiac arrest. We protect student athletes from concussions; we should also protect their hearts. Medical science has progressed to be able to recognize markers and symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest. There have been local efforts to raise awareness about sudden cardiac arrest. This bill would bring awareness to this issue statewide.

OTHER: This bill should go further. It should be modeled after the concussion bill and include private schools and private club sport programs if they play on public fields.

Persons Testifying: PRO: Senator McAuliffe, prime sponsor; Darla Varrenti, Executive Director, Nick of Time Foundation; Chris Nieuwenhuis, WA State School Directors’ Assn.; Melinda Truax; Spencer Best, Suzanne Apodaca, Scott Driscoll, citizens.

OTHER: Lisa Thatcher, Mike Colbrese, WA Interscholastic Activities Assn.