Sports

Plain English Breakdown

The effectiveness of the Safe Stars Advisory Committee in improving youth sports safety remains to be seen, but this is not specified in the bill.

Safe Stars Act for Youth Sports

This bill requires local education agencies and public charter schools to implement safety standards for youth athletic activities, including annual coach training on concussion recognition, sudden cardiac arrest, CPR, AED use, background checks, and emergency plans. It also establishes the Safe Stars Advisory Committee to develop guidelines on sudden cardiac arrest awareness and EKG testing.

What This Bill Does

• Requires coaches of school youth sports teams to complete annual training on concussion recognition, head injury safety, sudden cardiac arrest, CPR, AED use, and background checks.
• Schools must create plans for handling allergic reactions, emergencies, and severe weather during athletic activities.
• Develops a code of conduct for coaches in schools that offer youth sports programs.
• Establishes the Safe Stars Advisory Committee to provide guidelines on sudden cardiac arrest awareness and EKG testing.
• Requires students participating in school sports to submit a medical evaluation form or a waiver based on sincerely held beliefs.

Who It Names or Affects

• Local education agencies (LEAs) and public charter schools that offer youth athletic activities
• Coaches of youth sports teams at LEAs and public charter schools
• Students participating in school youth athletic activities

Terms To Know

Safe Stars Advisory Committee

A group created to develop guidelines on sudden cardiac arrest awareness, EKG testing, and other safety measures for youth sports.

Preparticipation Medical Evaluation

A form signed by a medical professional stating that a student is physically fit to participate in school athletic activities.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify the exact cost of EKG testing or who will pay for it.
• It is unclear how schools will enforce compliance with the new safety standards and training requirements.

Official Summary Text

The Safe Stars Act generally requires LEAs and public charter schools that
provide a school youth athletic activity
to implement the following safety standards:

(1) Require all coaches to a
nnua
lly complete
a
concussion recognition and head injury safety education course program
, an
nually complete
a
sudden cardiac arrest education program
, r
eceive training in CPR and in the use of AEDs
,
and
co
mply with all applicable background check and fingerpr
inting requiremen
ts;

(2) Implement plans and policies concerning allergic reactions, emergency action, and severe weather; and

(3) Develop a code of conduct for coaches.

This bill creates a safe stars advisory committee
to develop guidelines and othe
r materials to inform and educate students, parents, and coaches about:

(1) The nature and warning signs of sudden cardiac arrest and the risks associated with continuing to play or practice after experiencing one or more
such
symptoms;

(2) EKG testin
g; and

(3) The student's or parent's option to request, from the student's family medical provider, that an EKG be administered in addition to the student's comprehensive initial preparticipation physical examination, at a cost to be incurred by the stud
ent or the student's parent.

The safe stars advisory committee
will
consist of the following members:

(1) The commissioner of education or the commissioner's designee;

(2) The commissioner of health or the commissioner's designee;

(3) A member of
the education administration committee of the house of representatives, who is appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;

(4) A member of the education committee of the senate, who is appointed by the speaker of the senate;

(5) A membe
r of the health committee of the house of representatives, who is appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; and

(6) A member of the health and welfare committee of the senate, who is appointed by the speaker of the senate.

Present law
also encourages e
ach LEA and public charter school that provides a school youth athletic activity
t
o visit the department of health's website to review the safety standards recommended for each level of recognition provided as part of the department's
s
afe

s
tars
i
nitiative, and to communicate with the department to ensure that all safety measures are up to date.
This bill instead requires e
ach LEA and public charter school that provides a school youth athletic activity
t
o

review the safety standards recomm
ended for each level of recognition provided
by
the safe stars advisory committee and communicate with the advisory committee to ensure that all safety measures are up to date for the LEA or public charter school.

This bill also requires e
ach LEA and
public charter school that provides a school youth athletic activity
t
o
implement a safety standard that, p
rior to a student participating in a school youth athletic activity, a student must submit to the principal of the school in the LEA or the public ch
arter school:

(
1
) A preparticipation medical evaluation form signed by a doctor of medicine, osteopathic physician, physician assistant, or certified nurse practitioner stating that the student has passed a physical examination, not prior to April 15, an
d that in their opinion the student is physically fit to participate in a school youth athletic activity; or

(
2
) A statement written and signed by the student's parent or legal guardian or the student, if the student is 18 years of age or older, declini
ng a preparticipation medical evaluation on grounds of sincerely held beliefs or practices.

Current Bill Text

HOUSE BILL 1113
By Hardaway

SENATE BILL 1223
By Oliver

SB1223
000092
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49,
Chapter 6, Part 36 and Title 68, Chapter 6, relative
to youth athletic activities.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-3601(c), is amended by
deleting subdivision (2) and substituting:
(2) Shall review the safety standards recommended for each level of recognition
provided as part of the safe stars advisory committee's "Safe Stars Initiative," and to
communicate with the safe stars advisory committee to ensure that all safety measures
are up to date for the LEA or public charter school.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-3601(b), is amended by adding
the following as a new subdivision:
(4) Prior to a student participating in a school youth athletic activity, a student
must submit to the principal of the school in the LEA or the public charter school:
(A) A preparticipation medical evaluation form signed by a doctor of
medicine, osteopathic physician, physician assistant, or certified nurse
practitioner stating that the student has passed a physical examination, not prior
to April 15, and that in their opinion the student is physically fit to participate in a
school youth athletic activity; or
(B) A statement written and signed by the student's parent or legal
guardian or the student, if the student is eighteen (18) years of age or older,
declining a preparticipation medical evaluation on grounds of sincerely held
beliefs or practices.

- 2 - 000092

SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-3602, is amended by deleting
the section and substituting:
(a) There is created a safe stars advisory committee to develop guidelines and
other relevant materials to inform and educate students, parents, and coaches about:
(1) The nature and warning signs of sudden cardiac arrest and the risks
associated with continuing to play or practice after experiencing one (1) or more
symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest, which include fainting, difficulty breathing,
chest pains, dizziness, and an abnormal racing heart rate;
(2) Electrocardiogram (EKG) testing; and
(3) The student's or parent's option to request, from the student's family
medical provider, that an electrocardiogram (EKG) be administered in addition to
the student's comprehensive initial preparticipation physical examination, at a
cost to be incurred by the student or the student's parent.
(b) The safe stars advisory committee consists of the following members:
(1) The commissioner of education or the commissioner's designee;
(2) The commissioner of health or the commissioner's designee;
(3) A member of the education administration committee of the house of
representatives, who is appointed by the speaker of the house of
representatives;
(4) A member of the education committee of the senate, who is
appointed by the speaker of the senate;
(5) A member of the health committee of the house of representatives,
who is appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; and
(6) A member of the health and welfare committee of the senate, who is
appointed by the speaker of the senate.

- 3 - 000092

(c) A member who is appointed pursuant to subdivision (b)(3), (b)(4), (b)(5), or
(b)(6) serves until their successor is appointed or the member no longer meets the
qualification to serve, whichever occurs first.
(d) The safe stars advisory committee shall:
(1) Develop a sudden cardiac arrest symptoms and warning signs
information sheet that includes information about electrocardiogram (EKG)
testing for purposes of § 49-6-3603. The information sheet must address the
benefits and limitations of EKG testing;
(2) Develop the guidelines and materials under subsection (a);
(3) Publish the guidelines and other materials developed pursuant to
subsection (a) on the department of education's and department of health's
websites; and
(4) Meet at least once each year to review and update, if necessary, the
guidelines and other materials developed pursuant to this section.
SECTION 4. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.