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Heart Attack and Stroke Symptoms

Ohio Legislature Spring Break Update!

March 30, 2026

The Ohio Legislature is currently on Spring Break, making this a perfect point in the 136th General Assembly to update you on the status of several key bills the American Heart Association is championing at the Statehouse. While the halls are quiet these next few weeks, our work has been anything but! Below, you’ll find updates and direct links to take action on the issues that matter most to your heart health.

HB 437 (Healthy Cardiac Monitoring Act): This bill, which focuses on student-athlete safety and heart assessments, passed the Ohio House on March 4, 2026, and has now advanced to the Senate Health Committee for its consideration. We anticipate hearings to begin upon the legislature’s return in late May. This bipartisan legislation establishes a mandatory heart assessment program for all student-athletes and requires a qualified health professional to perform a pre-participation physical exam that includes specific cardiovascular assessments based on nationally recognized guidelines.

HB 364 (Food Allergen Labeling): This bill is currently pending in the House Agriculture Committee, where it has had three hearings. The American Heart Association was successful in attaching an amendment to the bill that requires that Ohio’s chain restaurants place a simple sodium warning icon next to menu items containing more than 1,150mg of sodium (half the daily limit). Did You Know: Nine out of ten Americans eat too much sodium, which can lead to serious health problems like high blood pressure, heart failure, and stroke. Transparency shouldn’t be a luxury – it’s a health necessity.

HB 687 (Athletic Facility Safety): Introduced in February 2026, this bill aims to increase safety in athletic facilities by requiring a staff member trained in CPR and the use of an automated external defibrillation (AED) to be on duty during business hours. The bill also mandates that these facilities, and schools, adopt an emergency action plan for AED use and tasks the Department of Health with creating a model plan and a violation reporting procedure. It is currently being reviewed by the House Arts, Athletics, and Tourism Committee. The American Heart Association and other stakeholders worked with the sponsors of this bill to include language that would create uniformity within the current AED requirement for Ohio schools and athletic facilities by requiring that all emergency action plans be created using standards from national recognized organizations focused on emergency cardiovascular care. The bill received its second hearing on March 24 before the House Arts, Athletics, and Tourism Committee where heart survivor and stalwart advocate, Canen Dickman, the Association, and other partners testified in support.

HB 549 (Cigar Bar Bill): This legislation seeks to establish and regulate “cigar bars” by granting them exemptions from certain smoking regulations and state sales taxes. The Association and other stakeholders argue it is detrimental to Ohioans’ health because it creates loopholes in the state’s Smoke-Free Workplace Act (passed in 2006), increasing secondhand smoke exposure for employees and patrons while potentially reversing progress in reducing tobacco-related illnesses. The bill has not received any hearings in the House Ways & Means Committee, and we hope to keep it that way!

❤️ Beyond the Statehouse: American Heart Association in Your Community ❤️

While policy moves the needle, our volunteers move the heart. Here’s what we’ve been up to across Ohio:

Celebrating American Heart Month

This February, Ohio went red! From city hall proclamations to powerful survivor stories, communities across the state united to elevate heart-health awareness. 👉 [Read the full recap from your local market here]

 Coffee & Conversation: In-District Meetings

Advocacy doesn’t just happen on Cap Square. Since November, our teams and volunteers have been meeting with legislators in their own neighborhoods to bridge the gap between public health and public policy.

A special thank you to the following leaders for their time:

Northeast Ohio: Rep. Bill Roemer & Rep. Tristan Rader        

Southwest Ohio: Rep. Andrea White & Rep. Ashley Bryant Bailey

  Central Ohio: Sen. Beth Liston         

Northwest Ohio: Rep. Haraz Ghanbari (Coming in June!)