Waukesha Student Kai Lermer Inspired Bill Moves To State Assembly

WAUKESHA, WI—A bill in memory of a teen athlete who died in 2019 from a rare heart condition passed the Wisconsin State Senate on a voice vote on Tuesday. It passed with moderate bi-partisan support in favor of the bill, according to online legislative records.

Kai Lermer was a triathlete at Waukesha North High School who died unexpectedly at the age of 16 of an undiagnosed condition that led to sudden cardiac arrest.

After his death, his father, Mike Lermer, lobbied the Wisconsin Legislature to introduce a bill to prevent any future high school athletes from dying in the same way.

The bill, LRB-0651 (The Kai 11 Bill), was introduced in the Wisconsin State Assembly in January. Rep. Scott Allen (R) of Waukesha and Senator Alberta Darling (R) of River Hills are currently circulating legislation for co-sponsorship known as "The Kai Lermer Bill".

The bill is simple: Parents of student athletes will receive information on the risks of sudden cardiac arrest, and the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association will offer parents the option of letting their child receive an electrocardiogram test to uncover any unknown heart conditions prior to being approved to play a sport.

"The Kai Lermer Memorial Fund was excited to hear that the Wisconsin Senate passed SB 95, The Kai11 Bill, today with a bi-partisan “Voice Vote” in favor of the Bill. We appreciate everyone’s support to help push the Bill forward and the Senate expediting the process. We are looking forward to working with the Wisconsin Assembly to help make this a Law prior to the 2021/2022 school year." Lermer told Patch.

The Lermer family established the Kai Lermer Memorial Fund in association with the Waukesha County Community Foundation to support the awareness, detection and prevention of heart disease in children, teenagers and young adults.

"Half way there and we are optimistic the Wisconsin Assembly could be holding their education committee hearing in mid-April. Here is a little snapshot of Kai’s happy dance celebrating today’s vote," according to a comment from The Kai Lermer Memorial Fund.