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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>64618</law_id><section_number>22.1-271.8</section_number><catch_line>Sudden cardiac arrest prevention in student-athletes</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="22.1">Education</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="14">Pupils</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="2">Health Provisions</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> The <span class="dictionary">Board</span> of Education shall develop, biennially update, and distribute to each local school division guidelines on policies to inform and educate coaches, student-athletes, and student-athletes&#x2019; <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">parents</span></span> or guardians about the nature and risk of sudden cardiac <span class="dictionary">arrest</span>, procedures for removal from and return to play, and the risks of not reporting symptoms. The guidelines shall also be posted on the <span class="dictionary">Department</span>&#x2019;s website. <a id="paragraph-235176" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/22.1-271.8/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Each local school division shall develop and biennially update policies and procedures regarding the identification and handling of symptoms that may lead to sudden cardiac <span class="dictionary">arrest</span> in student-athletes. Such policies shall: <a id="paragraph-235177" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/22.1-271.8/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Require that in <span class="dictionary">order</span> to participate in any extracurricular physical activity, each student-athlete and the student-athlete&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">parent</span> or guardian shall review, on an annual basis, information provided by the local school division on symptoms that may lead to sudden cardiac <span class="dictionary">arrest</span>. After reviewing the <span class="dictionary">materials</span>, each student-athlete and the student-athlete&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">parent</span> or guardian shall sign a statement acknowledging receipt of such information, in a manner approved by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> of Education. <a id="paragraph-235178" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/22.1-271.8/#B1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Require that a student-athlete who is experiencing symptoms that may lead to sudden cardiac <span class="dictionary">arrest</span> be immediately removed from play. A student-athlete who is removed from play shall not return to play until he is evaluated by and receives written clearance to return to physical activity by an appropriate licensed health care provider as determined by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> of Education. The licensed health care provider evaluating student-athletes may be a volunteer. <a id="paragraph-235179" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/22.1-271.8/#B2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2020, c. 694.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
