NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A2697A
SPONSOR: Durso TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to requiring cardiac
fitness certificates including an electrocardiogram or echocardiogram
for interscholastic athletes in all public schools
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Requires a cardiac fitness certificate to be furnished by each student
in public schools prior to participating in interscholastic athletics if
in 7th grade or has turned or will turn 13 years of age during the
school year in which the student is participating.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 903-a to
read as follows: § 903-a. Cardiac fitness certificate. A cardiac fitness
certificate shall be furnished by each student in public schools prior
to participating in interscholastic athletics if such student is in
seventh grade or has turned or will turn thirteen during the school year
in which the student is participating in interscholastic athletics,
whichever comes sooner. Each such certificate shall be signed by a duly
licensed physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner, who is
authorized by law to practice in this state, and consistent with subdi-
vision three of section sixty-nine hundred two of this chapter, or by a
duly licensed physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner, who
is authorized to practice in the jurisdiction in which the examination
was given, provided that the commissioner has determined that such
jurisdiction has standards of licensure and practice comparable to those
of New York. Each such certificate shall describe the cardiac fitness of
the student when the examination was made, and shall state whether such
student has any heart conditions and if such heart conditions could
result in severe ad verse health outcomes during athletic activity. Such
physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner shall conduct an
electrocardiogram, or an echocardiogram and the certificate shall state
the results.
JUSTIFICATION:
Connor Kasin, a Massapequa High School student athlete, recently passed
away while playing with his team in a charity hockey game. Initially the
cause of death was unknown, however, it was later discovered that Connor
had an unknown underlying heart condition. This unforeseen tragedy may
have been prevented if "Connor's Law" was in effect today which would
require heart screenings for student athletes as part of New York
State's mandatory health exam in order to participate in school sports.
Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD), although rare in occurrence, is the leading
cause of death amongst student athletes in the United States. The Elec-
trocardiogram (ECG/EKG) measures the heart's electrical activity. This
can help doctors tell how the heart is working and identify any prob-
lems. An Echocardiogram is prescribed when the ECG/EKG shows any abnor-
mal heart rhythms or particular findings during the patient's physical
examination.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: A.2697
SAME AS: S.3503 Weik
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding the date
upon which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addi-
tion, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for
the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to
be made and completed on or before such date.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
2697--A
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 22, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. DURSO, McDONOUGH, ANGELINO, E. BROWN, CHANG,
TAPIA, KAY, McDONALD, MAHER, NOVAKHOV, DeSTEFANO, TAGUE, MIKULIN,
O'PHARROW, CUNNINGHAM, BENDETT, JENSEN, GANDOLFO, MANKTELOW,
BROOK-KRASNY -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. PALMESANO -- read once
and referred to the Committee on Education -- committee discharged,
bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said
committee
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring cardiac
fitness certificates including an electrocardiogram or echocardiogram
for interscholastic athletes in all public schools
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 903-a
2 to read as follows:
3 § 903-a. Cardiac fitness certificate. A cardiac fitness certificate
4 shall be furnished by each student in public schools prior to partic-
5 ipating in interscholastic athletics if such student is in seventh grade
6 or has turned or will turn thirteen during the school year in which the
7 student is participating in interscholastic athletics, whichever comes
8 sooner. Each such certificate shall be signed by a duly licensed physi-
9 cian, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner, who is authorized by
10 law to practice in this state, and consistent with subdivision three of
11 section sixty-nine hundred two of this chapter, or by a duly licensed
12 physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner, who is authorized
13 to practice in the jurisdiction in which the examination was given,
14 provided that the commissioner has determined that such jurisdiction has
15 standards of licensure and practice comparable to those of New York.
16 Each such certificate shall describe the cardiac fitness of the student
17 when the examination was made, and shall state whether such student has
18 any heart conditions and if such heart conditions could result in severe
19 adverse health outcomes during athletic activity. Such physician, physi-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03255-02-5
A. 2697--A 2
1 cian assistant or nurse practitioner shall conduct an electrocardiogram
2 or an echocardiogram and the certificate shall state the results.
3 § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
4 the date upon which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately,
5 the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation neces-
6 sary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are
7 authorized to be made and completed on or before such date.
