Ohio bill would require cardiac screenings for student athletes

COLUMBUS — Ohio student athletes could face mandatory cardiac screenings under a bill introduced bipartisan bill introduced in the Ohio House.

House Bill 437 would require screenings to detect conditions such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, an abnormal thickening of the heart muscle that can lead to sudden cardiac arrest during physical activity.

Under the bill, when student athletes receive their required physical examinations, they would complete a Department of Health checklist that identifies symptoms of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and other cardiac conditions. Only students who meet certain criteria based on the questionnaire would be subject to additional screenings.

The bill’s sponsors, state Rep. Jean Schmidt, a Clermont County Republican who chairs the House Health Committee, a