LANSING, Mich., May 26, 2022 — Today, state Rep. Felicia Brabec (D-Pittsfield Township) and state Sen. Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor) introduced bills to keep student-athletes safe by promoting awareness of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).
House Bill 6149 and Senate Bill 1063 would require parents of student-athletes to review and sign an information form about the warning signs of SCA. It would also require coaches to take an annual training course on SCA and remove players who exhibit symptoms of SCA.
“We’ve seen firsthand the tragedy that SCA can cause. Sadly, SCA is the number one cause of death for student-athletes,” Rep. Brabec said. “We need to make sure that coaches and parents have the knowledge necessary to intervene before it’s too late. Raising awareness will allow more folks to identify the warning signs and save lives. As legislators, it’s our duty to pass legislation that has the potential to save young peoples’ lives.”
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, SCA takes the lives of thousands of children every year. It is the number one cause of death of student-athletes. Brabec and Irwin are introducing these bills because of the tragic death of a student-athlete in Washtenaw County last year.
“Youth sports are extremely competitive,” Sen. Irwin said, “The signs of SCA might be dismissed as athletes pushing themselves, or the athletes might even hide their symptoms to keep playing. This legislation makes sure that a child’s health is always more important than winning. Because we would rather bench these kids for a game, than risk losing them forever.”
Sixteen other states have passed similar legislation. More information about SCA can be found here.