Senate Bill S6942

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6942
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 27, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  LANZA  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring heart  exam-
   inations for students
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section  903  of  the  education  law,  as
 amended  by  chapter  183  of  the  laws  of 2017, is amended to read as
 follows:
   1. A health certificate shall be furnished  by  each  student  in  the
 public schools upon [his or her] SUCH STUDENT'S entrance in such schools
 and upon [his or her] SUCH STUDENT'S entry into the grades prescribed by
 the  commissioner  in  regulations, provided that such regulations shall
 require such certificates at least twice during  the  elementary  grades
 and  twice in the secondary grades. An examination and health history of
 any child may be required by the local school authorities at any time in
 their discretion to promote the educational  interests  of  such  child.
 Each certificate shall be signed by a duly licensed physician, physician
 assistant,  or  nurse practitioner, who is authorized by law to practice
 in this state, and consistent with  subdivision  three  of  section  six
 thousand  nine hundred two of this chapter, or by a duly licensed physi-
 cian, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner, who is  authorized  to
 practice  in  the  jurisdiction  in  which  the  examination  was given,
 provided that the commissioner has determined that such jurisdiction has
 standards of licensure and practice comparable to  those  of  New  York.
 Each  such  certificate shall describe the condition of the student when
 the examination was made, which shall not be  more  than  twelve  months
 prior to the commencement of the school year in which the examination is
 required,  and shall state whether such student is in a fit condition of
 health to permit [his or her] SUCH STUDENT'S attendance  at  the  public
 schools. The examination may include a diabetes risk analysis. Each such
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10701-01-5
              

 S. 6942                             2
 
 certificate  shall  also  state  the student's body mass index (BMI) and
 weight status category. For purposes of this section, BMI is computed as
 the weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters or the
 weight in pounds divided by the square of height in inches multiplied by
 a  conversion  factor  of 703. Weight status categories for children and
 adolescents shall be as defined by  the  commissioner  of  health.  EACH
 CERTIFICATE SHALL ALSO STATE THAT THE STUDENT HAS UNDERGONE A HEART TEST
 SUCH  AS  AN  ELECTROCARDIOGRAM, AND STATE WHETHER THE STUDENT IS FIT TO
 PARTICIPATE IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION OR OTHER PHYSICAL OR  ATHLETIC  ACTIV-
 ITIES.  In  all  school districts such physician, physician assistant or
 nurse practitioner shall determine whether a one-time  test  for  sickle
 cell anemia is necessary or desirable and [he or she] THEY shall conduct
 such a test and the certificate shall state the results.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.