Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Committee adopts measure to add blood‑pressure and cardiac prescreenings for students
Loading...
Summary
Senators adopted amendments and advanced SB206 to require blood‑pressure screenings aligned to pediatric guidelines and cardiovascular prescreening for student‑athletes; witnesses described undiagnosed hypertension and heart conditions that motivated the change.
Senate Bill 206, as amended, would require blood‑pressure screenings in schools following American Academy of Pediatrics guidance and add a cardiovascular prescreening requirement for student‑athletes. The committee adopted amendment 18‑39 and reported the bill favorably.
Senator Miller, the bill’s sponsor, said hypertension in children can be a ‘‘silent killer’’ and described the amendment as a response to recommendations from the American Heart Association and other stakeholders. Under the amendment, a health care professional conducting a physical for a student athlete would include cardiovascular prescreening per nationally recognized evidence guidelines; positive findings would be referred for follow‑up and parents would receive educational materials.
Coach Marcus Scott gave first‑hand testimony about experiencing renal failure linked to untreated high blood pressure after slipping through prior screenings, saying his experience informed the bill’s urgency. St. Charles Parish Superintendent Dr. Ken Orling supported the bill as a reasonable expansion of existing school screenings and said local nurses already perform blood‑pressure checks when students visit the nurse’s office.
The committee adopted the amendment with no objections; SB206 was reported favorably and sponsors said they would circulate a co‑author sheet.
