SB 206 — HEALTH SERVICES: Provides for blood pressure testing in schools. (8/1/26) (EN SEE FISC NOTE LF EX)

SLS 26RS-443 ENGROSSED Regular Session ENROLLED SENATE BILL NO.

206 BY SENATORS MILLER, BARROW, BARTHELEMY, BOUDREAUX, CATHEY, EDMONDS, HODGESHARRIS, HODGES, JACKSON-ANDREWS, JENKINS, LUNEAU, MIZELL, OWEN, REESE AND OWENSTINE HEALTHAND SERVICES.REPRESENTATIVES CHASSION, TERRY LANDRY, MARTINEZ, SCHLEGEL AND TAYLOR AN ACT To enact R.S.

Provides17:440.4(C), forrelative bloodto pressurestudent testingathletes; in schools.

(8/1/26) AN ACT To amend and reenactR.S.

17:2112(A)and 3996(A)(10),and to enact R.S.

17:2112(B) and (C)(3),relativetobloodpressuretestinginschools;torequirebloodpressuretesting in accordance with the American Academy of Pediatrics schedule;

to provide for applicability;

to provide for student athletes;

to provide for the distribution of educational materials about sudden cardiac arrest;

Section1.Section 1.

17:2112(A)and3996(A)(10)areherebyamendedandreenactedand17:440.4(C) R.S.is hereby enacted to read as follows:

17:2112(B)§440.4. and (C)(3) are herebyenacted to read as follows:

§2112.Cardiac health;

Testingstudent pupils'athletes, sight,parents; and hearing, and blood pressure;

noticecommunication to* parent* * C.(1) Beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, a qualified healthcare professional who performs a physical examination of a student athlete shall includeintheexaminationacardiovascularprescreeningthatfollowsnationally recognized, evidence-based guidelines recommended by the American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, or tutor;other nationally recognized organizations focused on evidence-based cardiovascular care.

report to state superintendent A.(1) Except as otherwise provided in Subsection C of this Section, every city, parish, and other local public school board, during the first semester of the schoolyearorwithinthirtydaysaftertheadmissionofanypupilsenteringtheschool late in the session, shall test the sight, including color screening for all first grade students, andhearing, and blood pressureofeachandallpupils undertheircharge, except those pupils whose parent or tutor objects to such examination, as provided Page 1 of 4 Coding:

Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;

words in boldface type and underscored are additions.

SLS 26RS-443 ENGROSSED SB NO.

206 for in R.S.

17:156.

Such testing shall be completed in accordancewith the schedule established bythe AmericanAcademyofPediatrics.TheStateBoardof Elementary and Secondary Education may convert the age equivalent as provided by the American Academy of Pediatrics schedule to the academic year equivalent which corresponds to that age.

(3)(2) The school board shall keep a record of such examination, shall be requiredtofollowuponthedeficiencieswithinsixtydays,andshallnotifyinwriting the parent or tutor of every pupil found to have any defect of sight or hearing or abnormal blood pressure.

B.(1) Beginning in the 2026-2027 academic year, a qualified healthcare professional who performs a physical examination of a student athlete shall includeintheexaminationacardiovascularprescreeningthatfollowsnationally recognized, evidence-based guidelines recommended by the American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, or other nationally recognized organization focused on evidence based cardiovascular care.

(3) Educational materials that provide information about causes of suddencardiacarrestinminorchildrenthatfollowevidence-basedscienceshall bedistributedtoparentsorguardiansofstudentsparticipatinginschoolsportsPage as1 part of a2 student'sCoding: required physical examination and completion of athletic permission forms.

C.(1) * * * (3) The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, in consultation with the Louisiana Department of Health, shall adopt rules to effectuate the requirement for cardiovascular prescreening that follows nationallyrecognized,evidence-basedguidelinesrecommendedbyorganizations focused on cardiovascular care in pediatric populations.

* * * Page 2 of 4 Coding:

SLS 26RS-443 ENGROSSED SB NO.

206 §3996.ENROLLED bedistributedtoparentsorguardiansofstudentsparticipatinginschoolsports as part of a student's required physical examination and completion of athletic permission forms.

CharterPRESIDENT schools;OF THE SENATE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA APPROVED:

exemptions;Page 2 of 2 Coding:

requirements A.

Notwithstanding any state law, rule, or regulation to the contrary and except as may be otherwise specifically provided for in an approved charter, a charter school established and operated in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter and its approved charter and the school's officers and employees shall be exemptfromallrulesandregulationsofthestateboardandthoseofanylocalschool board that are applicable to public schools and to public school officers and employees except for the following rules and regulations otherwise applicable to public schools regarding:

* * * (10) Hearing, and vision, and blood pressure screenings.

* * * The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Senate Legislative Services.

The keyword, summary, and digest do not constitute part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent.

[R.S.

1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] DIGEST SB 206 Engrossed 2026 Regular Session Miller Present law requires every public school board to test the sight and hearing of each pupil during the first semester of the school year or within 30 days after the admission of any pupils entering the school late in the session, unless the parent or tutor of the pupil objects.

Presentlawrequiresthetestingtobecompletedinaccordancewiththescheduleestablished by the American Academyof Pediatrics.

Proposed law requires blood pressure testing to be performed with the vision and hearing tests.