New York state has passed two laws to helping ensure the safety of students who may suffer Sudden Cardiac Arrest while on school grounds — Dominic’s Law and Desha’s Law.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest, or SCA, is defined as the abrupt and unexpected loss of heart function. SCA can be fatal if not treated within minutes, and even with treatment death may occur. Immediate treatment is cardiopulmonary resuscitation and use of an automatic external defibrillator. All public schools must have a staff member trained in the use of CPR and AED in school and at all school athletic events.

The signs or symptoms of SCA are:

• Fainting or seizure, especially during or right after exercise or with excitement or startled
• Racing heart, palpitations, or irregular heartbeat
• Dizziness, lightheadedness, or extreme fatigue with exercise
• Chest pain or discomfort with exercise
• Excessive shortness of breath during exercise
• Excessive, unexpected fatigue during or after exercise
• History of recurrent fainting or unusual seizures
• Sudden collapse or “passes out”
• Not responsive
• Abnormal breathing
• No pulse

Dominic’s Law

The Dominic Murray Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act, known as Dominic’s Law, took effect on July 1, 2022. The goal of the law is to promote safe interscholastic athletics and prevent incidents of sudden cardiac arrest in student-athletes.

The law is named for Dominic Murray, a 17-year-old who collapsed and died on a Farmingdale State College basketball court in 2009.

The law requires school districts to provide information to parents/guardians of student-athletes prior to the student’s participation in any interscholastic athletics. The law also requires coaches to hold a valid certificate of completion of a first aid knowledge and skills course offered by a nationally recognized organization. The course must include instruction in recognizing signs and symptoms of cardiac arrest or sudden cardiac arrest.

Although SCA is rare — the incidence of sudden cardiac death on the playing field is 0.61 in 100,000 — there are steps parents/guardians and school personnel can take to identify students who may be at risk and help to identify students exhibiting signs or symptoms.

These signs or symptoms may be misinterpreted or disregarded by the student or others, but are an important indication that a student should be seen by a health care provider for an evaluation. Additionally, a student may have personal risk factors or family history risk factors that indicate they are potentially at increased risk for SCA and should be evaluated by a health care provider prior to participating in athletics.

Preventing SCA before it happens is the best way to save a life. An Athletic Health History must be completed before each sports season for student-athletes unless a physical examination has been conducted within 30 days before the start of the season.

Both the family health history and the child’s personal history must be told to health care providers to help them know if a child is at risk for sudden cardiac arrest. Children should be asked if they are having any of the symptoms listed below and tell a health care provider. Health care providers should also be told of any family history of any risk factors listed below.

Student’s Personal Risk Factors are:

• Use of diet pills, performance-enhancing supplements, energy drinks, or
• drugs such as cocaine, inhalants, or “recreational” drugs. 
• Elevated blood pressure or cholesterol
• History of health care provider ordered test(s) for heart-related issues

Student’s Family History Risk Factors are:

• Family history of known heart abnormalities or sudden death before 50 year of age
• Family members with unexplained fainting, seizures, drowning, near drowning or car accidents before 50 years of age
• Structural heart abnormality, repaired or unrepaired
• Any relative diagnosed with the following conditions:
  • Enlarged Heart
  • Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
  • Dilated Cardiomyopathy
  • Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy
  • Heart rhythm problems, long or short QT interval
  • Brugada Syndrome
  • Catecholaminergic Ventricular Tachycardia
  • Marfan Syndrome- aortic rupture
  • Heart attack at 50 years or younger
  • Pacemaker or implanted cardiac defibrillator 

It is imperative that students are educated on the risks and symptoms of SCA and encouraged to report any of the signs or symptoms to their coach or athletic trainer, and parent/guardian. 

Any student displaying signs or symptoms of pending SCA must be immediately removed from athletic activities and not resume athletic activities until they have been evaluated by and received written signed authorization to resume from a licensed physician. This authorization must be kept on file in the student’s cumulative health record maintained by the school.

Desha’s Law

Passed in July 2025,  Desha’s Law was named for 12-year-old Desha Sanders, who died in 2009 after collapsing during gym class in Western New York. Although an AED was available on site, it was locked and staff were not trained how to use it. The law requires schools to develop and implement Cardiac Emergency Response Plans, or CERPs, to address sudden cardiac arrest incidents on school grounds and during school-sponsored events.

In accordance with this law, CERPs have been developed at Liberty Central School District and are incorporated into each confidential Building-Level Emergency Response Plan.

The law also requires staff training focused on SCA preparedness, requiring annual safety training to include recognizing and responding to SCA, plus ensuring sufficient staff trained in CPR and AED used for emergencies, following guidelines from organizations such as the American Heart Association. The plans must be integrated with community EMS, and AEDs must be clearly marked, accessible and maintained consistent with AHA or other nationally recognized guidelines focused on emergency cardiovascular care.