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S 2652Public Health

Education - The Children's Cardiac Safety Act

This bill requires specific heart health screenings for children and student athletes to help prevent sudden cardiac arrest.

Held for study
Population
Affected
35
Email Legislator
Introduced Feb 27, 2026Committee Senate Education

Plain-English Summary

The Children's Cardiac Safety Act mandates that annual physical examinations for children aged 19 and younger include specific cardiovascular prescreening based on national guidelines. It requires that prior to participating in school or community sports, students in grades K-12 must undergo a physical examination to detect or raise suspicion of cardiovascular disease. The bill directs the Department of Health to create a standardized form for these evaluations. Additionally, it establishes training requirements for healthcare practitioners, mandates annual reporting on these exams, and requires the distribution of educational pamphlets regarding sudden cardiac arrest to parents and student athletes.

For younger readers

This new rule is called "The Children's Cardiac Safety Act." It is designed to keep kids safe, especially when they play sports. When you go to the doctor for your yearly check-up, the doctor will check your heart very carefully to make sure it is healthy. If you want to play on a sports team at school or in your town, you must have this check-up first. The grown-ups will also give your parents a special paper to read so they know how to keep your heart safe while you are active.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Student athletesParents and guardiansHealthcare professionalsSchool districtsCommunity sports organizations
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost
Amount unknown
Estimated revenue
None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Promotes health equity by ensuring that all children, regardless of background, receive standardized, evidence-based cardiac screenings, potentially catching life-threatening conditions early.
  • Enhances public safety and community welfare by mandating educational resources for parents and guardians, empowering them with knowledge about sudden cardiac arrest prevention.
  • Establishes a system of data collection and annual reporting through the Department of Health, which facilitates systemic oversight and helps identify trends in youth health.
  • Could create barriers to participation for low-income families if they struggle to access or afford the required healthcare visits for the specific sports clearance.
  • Does not explicitly provide funding or subsidies for families who are uninsured or underinsured to cover the costs of the mandated screenings or follow-up cardiologist referrals.
  • May place an additional strain on the healthcare workforce in underserved communities, potentially increasing wait times for routine care.
For Conservatives
  • Prioritizes the protection of life by implementing measures to prevent sudden cardiac arrest in children and student athletes.
  • Streamlines administrative processes by requiring the creation of a single, statewide form for preparticipation physical evaluations, reducing bureaucratic confusion.
  • Leverages collaboration with private medical associations like the American Heart Association for expertise rather than relying solely on government agencies.
  • Imposes government mandates on private medical practices regarding the specific clinical content of physical examinations.
  • Increases the regulatory burden on schools and community organizations, requiring them to police medical compliance before students can play sports.
  • Expands the scope of government by creating new administrative requirements for state departments to produce reports, pamphlets, and training programs.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 77 additions

SECTION 1. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled "EDUCATION" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter: 16-91.2-1. Title. This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "The Children's Cardiac Safety Act". 16-91.2-2. Definitions. As used in this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

(1) "Commissioner" or "education commissioner" means the commissioner of elementary and secondary education as described in §16-60-6.

(2) "Healthcare professional" means a physician, advanced practice nurse, or physician assistant.

(3) "School district" includes all traditional public schools as well as charter public schools and mayoral academies. 16-91.2-3. Annual examinations. A registered, licensed, and certified healthcare professional who performs an annual physical examination of a child nineteen (19) years of age or younger shall include a cardiovascular prescreening that follows nationally recognized, evidence-based guidelines recommended by organizations focused on cardiovascular care in pediatric populations. Key pre-screening elements shall include a targeted personal history and family history and focused physical examination to detect or raise suspicion for cardiovascular disease. The healthcare professional who performs the annual physical examination shall refer the child with positive findings to a cardiologist for further evaluation and testing. 16-91.2-4. Guidance provided.

(a) The department of elementary and secondary education and the department of health shall collaborate and work in conjunction and set forth guidance to both public and private schools and require that prior to the participation of any student enrolled in grades kindergarten through twelve (12) on a school or community organization sponsored interscholastic or intramural athletic team or squad, the student shall have a physical examination to detect or raise suspicion of cardiovascular disease and submit a preparticipation physical evaluation form certified by the examining healthcare provider attesting to completion of the examination.

(b) This physical examination shall be conducted within twelve (12) months prior to the first day of official practice in an athletic season and shall be conducted by a registered, licensed, and certified healthcare professional. The physical examination may be done as part of the student athlete’s annual well-child visit.

(c) A school committee or board of education of a public school district and the governing board or chief school administrator of a nonpublic school shall not permit a student enrolled in grades kindergarten through twelve (12) to participate on a school or community-based organization sponsored interscholastic or intramural athletic team or squad unless the student has completed the examination provided in subsection (a) of this section and submitted a preparticipation physical evaluation form. 16-91.2-5. Single form. The department of health shall create a single form to be utilized in all preparticipation physical evaluations statewide. 16-91.2-6. Practitioner education. The state departments of elementary and secondary education and health, in collaboration with the Rhode Island chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Rhode Island Academy of Family Physicians, the American Heart Association, and the Rhode Island Chapter of the American College of Cardiology, shall establish policies, programs, training, and/or continuing education to increase the assessment skills of those healthcare practitioners who perform well-child physical examinations and preparticipation physical evaluations. 16-91.2-7. Annual report. The department of health shall compile and publish on its website an annual report containing the total number of preparticipation physical exams that were completed and the number of referrals that were made to a cardiologist. This report shall also analyze the outcomes of this data and include any recommendations for changes. 16-91.2-8. Pamphlet prepared.

(a) The education commissioner, in consultation with the director of the department of health, the American Heart Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, shall develop a pamphlet that provides information about diseases that can cause sudden cardiac arrest to children and their parents. The pamphlet shall include an explanation of sudden cardiac arrest, its incidence, a description of early warning signs, and an overview of the options that are privately available to screen for cardiac conditions that may lead to sudden cardiac arrest, including a statement about the limitations of these options.

(b) The commissioner shall distribute the pamphlet, at no charge, to all school districts in the state. The commissioner shall update the pamphlet as necessary and shall make additional copies available to non-public schools upon request.

(c) Beginning in the 2027-2028 school year, each school district shall annually distribute this pamphlet to the parents or guardians of students participating in school sports as part of the student's completion of athletic permission forms. A student and their parent or guardian shall certify in writing that they received and reviewed the pamphlet. 16-91.2-9. Consistency with other chapters. The provisions of this chapter are intended to support, expand upon, and be consistent with the provisions of chapter 91.1 of title 16 ("the sudden cardiac arrest prevention act"). To the extent there are any express conflicts between these chapters that cannot be resolved, the provisions of this chapter 91.2 of title 16 shall supersede any conflicting provisions in chapter 91.1 of title 16 16-91.2-10. Rules and regulations. The education commissioner in consultation with the director of the department of health shall promulgate rules and regulations to effectuate the provisions of this chapter, pursuant to chapter 35 of title 42 ("administrative procedures").

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2027.