CT lawmakers pass plan to require new student sports screening. It’s for a potentially fatal issue.

Hartford Courant – Wednesday, May 6, 2026
By Livi Stanford

Following several cases of student athletes collapsing from sudden cardiac arrest, Connecticut lawmakers have passed legislation that requires high school students be screened for cardiac conditions before participating in interscholastic sports.

“I think we have seen cases in Connecticut where people have lost their loved ones and I think that is why we have to do whatever is in our power to help identify high risk individuals and save those lives,” said Sen. Saud Anwar, a South Windsor Democrat and co-chair of the Public Health Committee.

Anwar said he did not have exact numbers of how many cases have occurred in Connecticut over the years.

The American College of Cardiology reported that “sudden cardiac arrest is the leading medical cause of death in young athletes and previous research has shown that Black athletes face a higher risk.”

The Mayo Clinic also reported that “estimates vary, but some reports say that about 1 in 50,000 to 1 in 100,000 young athletes dies of sudden cardiac death each year.”

HB 5514, a comprehensive public health bill also including other provisions, passed unanimously in the Senate and by a 142 to 4 vote in the House.

Initially, the legislation introduced as SB 194 would have required that the assessment include an EKG.

Dr. Seth Lapuk, pediatric cardiologist at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, said in his written testimony concerning the legislation that “current evidence does not demonstrate that universal or broad ECG screening of student athletes significantly reduces the overall incidence of sudden cardiac death.

For this reason, major professional organizations, including the American Heart Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Heart Rhythm Society, do not recommend universal ECG screening for athletes.”

Anwar said after meetings with a group of cardiologists and a representative from the American College of Cardiology, the bill was adjusted to “respect their insight and expertise.” The EKG requirement was then removed.

Beginning in the 2027-28 “school year students participating in interscholastic sports will be required to have an annual athletics health assessment by a health professional,” according to the bill’s analysis.

“This must include a physical exam that screens for serious cardiac conditions that could lead to sudden death,” the bill’s analysis said. Among other things, the assessment form must include information on relevant patient or family history and whether the provider referred the student for additional cardiac screening or treatment.

Len Corto, executive director of the Connecticut High School Coaches Association, wrote in his testimony that the state already mandates submission of a comprehensive medical form as the Connecticut State Department of Education “currently requires completion of a Health Assessment Record commonly known as the ‘Blue Form’ before any student may participate in interscholastic athletics.”

“Connecticut already mandates submission of this comprehensive medical form which includes a “full physical examination; cardiac screening; respiratory history; musculoskeletal evaluation; documentation of allergies and medications; and medical clearance for physical activity,” Corto said.

But Anwar said “there are additional questions that are not part of the existing program that are more from a cardiac perspective like if somebody has episodes of passing out, or if they have a family history of sudden cardiac death.

“Some of those questions give us a slightly better insight,” he said.

The Yale School of Medicine reported that “primary causes of sudden cardiac arrest in athletes include inherited structural heart diseases like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, electrical disorders such as Long QT Syndrome and congenital abnormalities.”

Other provisions in HB 5514, now Public Act 26-13, include addressing shortages in EMS by providing a compact so individuals from other states can come to Connecticut to work especially in rural parts of the state; and expanding DPH’s authority to investigate and take disciplinary action against nurse’s aides, including those working at any DPH-licensed institution.

“This is a comprehensive bill on a number of different parts of the work the Public Health Committee has done and these are bills which essentially everyone agreed with,” Anwar said. “These are important for the people of our state to keep them safe, improve access to health care, improve well-being for various illnesses, and prevent major complications.”

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