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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | May 10, 2023 11:28 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Greg Scott |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Sudden Cardiac Arrest Screenings |
| Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is a condition of the heart that causes it to unexpectedly stop functioning, cutting off blood circulation to the brain and other vital organs. SCA strikes seemingly without warning and, without immediate treatment with CPR and defibrillation, is fatal. Studies show that SCA is the leading cause of death among student athletes both here in Pennsylvania and across the county. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, approximately 1 in 70 high schools will experience an SCA event this year. In Pennsylvania, students are required by law to undergo regular screenings of hearing, vision, height and weight, and dental hygiene. These screenings occur from first enrollment all the way through high school graduation. To participate in a school sport, a child is required to undergo a physical examination and pre-participation screening, part of which is the signing of an acknowledgment of the risk of SCA that comes with participation in athletic events. Peyton’s Law (Act 73 of 2020) took the first steps in spreading the word to students and parents across Pennsylvania about the value of an electrocardiogram to screen athletes for SCA risk factors. My legislation will build upon this progress by requiring electrocardiograms for all students from first enrollment in a school and biannually through high school graduation, and further as a condition of participation in a school-sponsored athletic activity. Additionally, my legislation will ensure that every school in Pennsylvania is outfitted with automated external defibrillator (AED) machines, a life-saving tool found to increase the survival rate of SCA by 50% when combined with CPR. Please join me in sponsoring this legislation to prevent unnecessary loss of life among our students and young athletes. |
Introduced as HB1628