FLORIDA - Florida has enacted a new law mandating heart screenings for all public high school athletes to identify potential cardiac issues before students take the field.
Effective July 1, the "Second Chance Act" requires student-athletes to undergo an annual electrocardiogram (EKG) before participating in school sports. The Florida High School Athletic Association is instructed to prevent any student with an abnormal EKG result from playing until a licensed medical professional provides written clearance.
The law allows exemptions for religious beliefs, medical objections, or if EKGs cost more than fifty dollars and affordable options are not available.
Governor Ron DeSantis signed the bill into law following a series of incidents involving student-athlete deaths, including the passing of 18-year-old Chance Gainer.
Gainer, a senior at Port St. Joe High School, collapsed during a football game in September and later died.
His story prompted widespread calls for cardiac screening reform.
In August 2024 alone, six high school athletes died nationwide, with four of those deaths tied to heart-related issues and two resulting from contact injuries, according to national sports safety data.
The bill passed unanimously in both the Florida House and Senate.
The Florida High School Athletic Association’s Sports Medicine Advisory Committee will develop the protocols for how the EKGs will be administered and reviewed.
Florida is now the first state to implement a law of this kind, aiming to reduce the risk of sudden cardiac arrest among teen athletes through early detection and medical oversight.
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