House Bill 970 (COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE)
By: Representatives Townsend of the 179th, Washburn of the 144th, O’Steen of the 169th, Rice
of the 139th, Hagan of the 156th, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Part 14 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to other educational programs relative to the "Quality Basic Education
Act," so as to expand which healthcare professionals may conduct preparticipation physical
examinations; to provide for the period of validity for such examinations; to require
healthcare professionals to include a cardiovascular prescreening as part of such
examinations; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other
purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Part 14 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to other educational programs relative to the "Quality Basic Education Act," is
amended in Code Section 20-2-319.2, relating to the school interscholastic extracurricular
athletic policy providing for the use of a single, comprehensive, preparticipation physical
examination form, by revising subsection (c) and by adding a new subsection to read as
follows:
"(c) <del>When a school or school district has a policy which requires students who participate
in extracurricular sports to have a physical examination prior to participation, the</del> <ins>The
</ins> person conducting the physical examination <ins>provided for in the policy developed under
subsection (a) of this Code section shall be a qualified healthcare professional, including
a licensed medical physician, doctor of osteopathic medicine, nurse practitioner, or
physician's assistant in accordance with Code Section 43-34-103, and</ins> shall use the State
Board of Education approved form pursuant to <del>subsection</del> <ins>subsections</ins> (d) <ins>and (e)</ins> of this
Code section, provided that the form may at the option of the local board include additional
elements. <ins>Physical examinations shall be valid for 12 months from the date of the
examination, or, if conducted on or after April 1 of the year preceding the applicable school
year, shall remain valid through such applicable school year."
"(e) Beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, a qualified healthcare professional who
performs a physical examination of a student athlete shall include in such examination a
cardiovascular prescreening that follows nationally recognized, evidence based guidelines
recommended by the American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, or
other nationally recognized organization focused on evidence based cardiovascular care.
Educational materials that provide information about causes of sudden cardiac arrest in
children that follow evidence based science shall be distributed by the school to parents or
guardians of students participating in school sports as part of a student's preparticipation
physical examination and completion of athletic permission forms."
</ins> SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.