Florida Senate - 2025 SB 1070 By Senator Simon 3-01380-25 20251070__ Page 1 of 4 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. A bill to be entitled 1

An act relating to electrocardiograms for student 2 athletes; amending s. 1002.20, F.S.; conforming 3 provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 4 1006.20, F.S.; requiring certain students to receive 5 an electrocardiogram to participate in athletics; 6 providing an exemption from such requirement; 7 providing parental requirements for receiving the 8 exemption; providing an effective date. 9 10 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 11 12

Section 1. Paragraph (

b) of subsection (17) of

section 13 1002.20, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 14 1002.20 K-12 student and parent rights.—Parents of public 15 school students must receive accurate and timely information 16 regarding their child’s academic progress and must be informed 17 of ways they can help their child to succeed in school. K-12 18 students and their parents are afforded numerous statutory 19 rights including, but not limited to, the following: 20

(17) ATHLETICS; PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL.— 21 (

b) Medical evaluation and electrocardiogram.—Students must 22 satisfactorily pass a medical evaluation each year and, if 23 applicable, receive an electrocardiogram before participating in 24 athletics, unless the parent objects in writing based on 25 religious tenets or practices or, for an electrocardiogram only, 26 provides a written statement from a physician that the student 27 does not require an electrocardiogram, in accordance with the 28 provisions of s. 1006.20(2)(d). 29 Florida Senate - 2025 SB 1070 3-01380-25 20251070__ Page 2 of 4 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.

Section 2. Paragraphs (

c) and (

d) of subsection (2) of 30

section 1006.20, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 31 1006.20 Athletics in public K-12 schools.— 32

(2) ADOPTION OF BYLAWS, POLICIES, OR GUIDELINES.— 33 (

c) The FHSAA shall adopt bylaws that require the 34 following: 35 1. Require All students participating in interscholastic 36 athletic competition or who are candidates for an 37 interscholastic athletic team to satisfactorily pass a medical 38 evaluation each year before participating in interscholastic 39 athletic competition or engaging in any practice, tryout, 40 workout, conditioning, or other physical activity associated 41 with the student’s candidacy for an interscholastic athletic 42 team, including activities that occur outside of the school 43 year. Such medical evaluation may be administered only by a 44 practitioner licensed under

chapter 458,

chapter 459,

chapter 45 460, or s. 464.012 or registered under s. 464.0123 and in good 46 standing with the practitioner’s regulatory board. The bylaws 47 shall establish requirements for eliciting a student’s medical 48 history and performing the medical evaluation required under 49 this paragraph, which shall include a physical assessment of the 50 student’s physical capabilities to participate in 51 interscholastic athletic competition as contained in a uniform 52 preparticipation physical evaluation and history form.

The 53 evaluation form must shall incorporate the recommendations of 54 the American Heart Association for participation cardiovascular 55 screening and must shall provide a place for the signature of 56 the practitioner performing the evaluation with an attestation 57 that each examination procedure listed on the form was performed 58 Florida Senate - 2025 SB 1070 3-01380-25 20251070__ Page 3 of 4 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. by the practitioner or by someone under the direct supervision 59 of the practitioner.

The form must shall also contain a place 60 for the practitioner to indicate if a referral to another 61 practitioner was made in lieu of completion of a certain 62 examination procedure. The form must shall provide a place for 63 the practitioner to whom the student was referred to complete 64 the remaining sections and attest to that portion of the 65 examination. The preparticipation physical evaluation form must 66 shall advise students to complete a cardiovascular assessment 67 and must shall include information concerning alternative 68 cardiovascular evaluation and diagnostic tests.

Results of such 69 medical evaluation must be provided to the school. A student is 70 not eligible to participate, as provided in s. 1006.15(3), in 71 any interscholastic athletic competition or engage in any 72 practice, tryout, workout, or other physical activity associated 73 with the student’s candidacy for an interscholastic athletic 74 team until the results of the medical evaluation have been 75 received and approved by the school. 76 2. That the following students receive an 77 electrocardiogram: 78 a.

For the 2026-2027 school year, each student who 79 participates in interscholastic athletic competition or is a 80 candidate for an interscholastic athletic team. 81 b. Beginning in the 2026-2027 school year and thereafter, 82 each student in grades 6, 7, or 8 who for the first time 83 participates in interscholastic athletic competition or is a 84 candidate for an interscholastic athletic team. 85 c.

Beginning in the 2026-2027 school year and thereafter, 86 each student in grades 9 through 12 who for the first time since 87 Florida Senate - 2025 SB 1070 3-01380-25 20251070__ Page 4 of 4 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. entering grade 9 participates in interscholastic athletic 88 competition or is a candidate for an interscholastic athletic 89 team. 90 (

d) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (c), a 91 student may participate in interscholastic athletic competition 92 or be a candidate for an interscholastic athletic team if the 93 parent of the student objects in writing to the student 94 undergoing a medical evaluation or receiving an 95 electrocardiogram because such evaluation or electrocardiogram 96 is contrary to his or her religious tenets or practices. 97 However, in such case, there shall be no liability on the

part 98 of any person or entity in a position to otherwise rely on the 99 results of such medical evaluation or electrocardiogram for any 100 damages resulting from the student’s injury or death arising 101 directly from the student’s participation in interscholastic 102 athletics when where an undisclosed medical condition that would 103 have been revealed in the medical evaluation or 104 electrocardiogram is a proximate cause of the injury or death. 105 If a parent of a student objects in writing to the student 106 receiving an electrocardiogram on the grounds that it is 107 contrary to the parent’s or student’s religious tenets or 108 practices, the parent must provide a written release of 109 liability prepared by an attorney in good standing with The 110 Florida Bar.

Alternatively, a parent may provide a written 111 statement from a practitioner licensed under

chapter 458 or 112

chapter 459 and in good standing with the practitioner’s 113 regulatory board that the student does not require an 114 electrocardiogram. 115

Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 116