                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST PREVENTION IN STUDENT-ATHLETES (§ 22.1-271.8)

A. The Board 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&#8217; parents or guardians about the
nature and risk of sudden cardiac arrest, procedures for removal from and return
to play, and the risks of not reporting symptoms. The guidelines shall also be
posted on the Department&#8217;s website.

B. 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 arrest in student-athletes. Such policies shall:

   1. Require that in order to participate in any extracurricular physical
   activity, each student-athlete and the student-athlete&#8217;s parent or
   guardian shall review, on an annual basis, information provided by the local
   school division on symptoms that may lead to sudden cardiac arrest. After
   reviewing the materials, each student-athlete and the student-athlete&#8217;s
   parent or guardian shall sign a statement acknowledging receipt of such
   information, in a manner approved by the Board of Education.

   2. Require that a student-athlete who is experiencing symptoms that may lead
   to sudden cardiac arrest 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 Board of Education. The
   licensed health care provider evaluating student-athletes may be a volunteer.

HISTORY: 2020, c. 694.