Legislation around the country

I am amazed by what legislation is being discussed around the nation. Doing a quick search for the word cardiac turns up

• links to Good Samaritan laws for every state
• links to AED legislation for every state
• school usage of AED for every state
• second link for AEDs in schools

It is a little depressing that the bulk of the legislation talks about emergency response and protecting care givers and does not focus on detection or prevention. The only forward looking legislation that I could find is

• New Jersey - A1863 - New Jersey Student Athlete Cardiac Screening Task Force
• New Jersey - S1911 - Children's Sudden Cardiac Events Reporting Act
• Pennsylvania - HB 1610 - Establishes standards for preventing sudden cardiac arrest and death in student athletes

With the passage of the bill in Pennsylvania to define the symptoms of cardiac issues and mandate what coaches and trainers should do when these symptoms appear, there is hope that other states will follow this lead. Texas passed similar laws for concussions last year. Hopefully we can help them pass a similar law for cardiac symptoms.