PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Florida high school athletes have new health requirement before they can play sports.
WPTV's Christy Waite connected with Diane Pollard, the mom of two boys who play sports in school. Even though school is out for the summer, she is prepping for the upcoming sports year by going to a free EKG event.
"Our insurance company doesn't cover EKGs and our pediatricians doesn't do them in office" Pollard said.
Governor Ron DeSantis signed a new law called the Second Chance Act, which requires student athletes to get an EKG heart screening. The rule applies to all students in grades nine through 12, and the screening requirement will kick in for the upcoming 2026-2027 school year.
Students must complete the test before they can participate in any tryouts or practices. The screening must follow standards set by the Florida High School Athletic Association.
Students do not have to get a new test every single year. An EKG completed up to two years before the 2026 school year will satisfy the requirement. Any student who receives an abnormal EKG result must stop playing immediately. They can only return to participation after a doctor gives written medical clearance.
Waite connected with Dr. Elliot Pearson, who says this new measure is a great way to keep student athletes healthy.
"It's not going to be able to catch 100% of student athletes who may be a risk for sudden cardiac arrest. I think it is going to help us identify more and help save lives," he said.
Lawmakers also included rules to help keep the tests affordable for families.
School districts must look for public and private partnerships to provide low-cost screenings. WPTV reached out to all five of our school districts. They tell us they have secured partnerships and have been hosting free EKG screenings.
Indian River County School District says they have been offering voluntary electrocardiogram screenings for student athletes for several years.
For parents like Pollard, the cost-free events are saving them money while making sure their kids are heart healthy.
The Second Chance Act requires school districts to offer EKGs at less than $50 per student. According to the law, a student is exempt from the requirement if their district cannot find a partnership to keep the cost under $50.
Pearson wants parents to know that an abnormal EKG is not always a sign of heart disease. If your child gets abnormal results, additional tests could be required.
Parents can also opt their children out of the test for religious reasons. A doctor can provide a certificate of medical exception for a student.
The law protects schools from lawsuits if a parent opts out and the student later suffers a heart event.
Schools are also protected from liability if they rely on a cleared EKG and a cardiac event still happens.
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