Law-AB 379 – Eric Paredes Save A Life Foundation

Currently, AB 1639 (2015), the Eric Paredes Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act enacted new SCA prevention protocol for school-sponsored athletic activities.

Further, AB 2007 (2016) requires youth sports organizations to follow certain concussion protocol that helps to educate families about head injuries, train coaches about best practices for head injuries and protect young athletes suspected of having a concussion.

AB379 now requires the same protocols used for concussions in youth and high school sports to be used to help protect young athletes participating in school and community youth sports organizations from sudden cardiac arrest—the #1 killer of young athletes. Community youth sports organizations include an organization, business, nonprofit entity, or a local governmental agency that sponsors or conducts amateur sports competitions, training, camps, or clubs in which persons 17 years of age or younger participate.

Compliance with the law includes:
• All youth sports leagues, camps and clubs must immediately remove an athlete from an athletic activity who faints, or who is suspected of experiencing warning signs that appear to be cardiovascular related until the youth can be cleared to play by a licensed health care provider trained in the management of cardiac conditions.

• Parents and youth annually review information about warning signs and risk factors of sudden cardiac arrest and how to respond to a cardiac emergency.

• Administrators, coaches and sports officials complete a sudden cardiac arrest prevention training course.

Co-Authors: Assembly Members Tom Lackey, Kevin McCarty, Eloise Reyes and Freddy Rodriguez, Senators Ling Ling Chang, Anthony Portantino and Jeff Stone

Supporters include: Association of California School Administrators, Boys & Girl’s Club, California Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (CAHPERD), California Orthopedic Association, California PTA, California School Nurses Organization, California State Association of Counties, Children’s Cardiomyopathy Foundation, Cardiac Science, City of Beverly Hills, City of Culver City, City of Los Angeles, City of San Diego, County of San Diego, Consumer Attorneys of California, Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians, Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake, Heartbeat of Champions Foundation, LA Galaxy, Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians, Los Angeles Unified School District, Olivia’s Heart Project, Parent Heart Watch, Revive Solutions, Saving Hearts Foundation, San Diego State University Institute of Public Health, Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association, Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, Travis Roy Foundation and Via Heart Project