Bill Text: CA AB2007 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Youth athletics: youth sports organizations: concussions or other head injuries.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2016-09-23 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 516, Statutes of 2016. [AB2007 Detail]

Download: California-2015-AB2007-Amended.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 2007	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 26, 2016

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member McCarty

                        FEBRUARY 16, 2016

   An act to add Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 124235) to
Chapter 4 of Part 2 of Division 106 of the Health and Safety Code,
relating to youth athletics.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2007, as amended, McCarty. Youth athletics: youth sports
organizations: concussions or  other  head injuries.
   Existing law requires a school district, charter school, or
private school, if it offers an athletic program, to immediately
remove an athlete from an athletic activity for the remainder of the
day if the athlete is suspected of sustaining a concussion or head
injury, and prohibits the athlete from returning to the athletic
activity until the athlete is evaluated by a licensed health care
provider, trained in the management of concussions, and acting within
the scope of his or her practice, and the athlete receives written
clearance from the licensed health care provider to return to the
athletic activity. Existing law also requires, on a yearly basis, a
concussion and head injury information sheet to be signed and
returned by the athlete and athlete's parent or guardian before the
athlete's initiating practice or competition.
   This bill would  additionally  apply these
provisions to athletes participating in youth sports organizations,
as  defined.   defined to include, but not
necessarily limited to, a business or nonprofit entity or a local
governmental agency, that sponsor or conduct amateur athletic
competitions, camps, or clubs. The bill would require youth sports
organizations to notify the parents or guardians of athletes 17 years
of age or younger who have been removed from athletic activities due
to suspected concussions, as specified. The bill would require youth
sports organizations to give concussion and head injury education,
or educational materials, or both, to each of their coaches and
administrators on a yearly basis, as prescribed. The bill would also
require youth sports organizations to identify an individual within
the organization who is responsible for ensuring  
compliance by the organizati   on with the bill's
requirements for providing concussion and head injury education. The
bill would additionally require the youth sports organization to
identify the details of the return-to-play protocol, as specified.

   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 124235) is added
to Chapter 4 of Part 2 of Division 106 of the Health and Safety Code,
to read:

      Article 2.5.  Youth Sports Concussion Protocols


   124235.  (a) A youth sports organization that elects to offer an
athletic program shall comply with  both  all
 of the following:
   (1) An athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or 
other  head injury in an athletic activity shall be immediately
removed from the athletic activity for the remainder of the day, and
shall not be permitted to return to the athletic activity until he
or she is evaluated by a licensed health care provider. The athlete
shall not be permitted to return to the athletic activity until he or
she receives written clearance to return to the athletic activity
from a licensed health care provider. If the licensed health care
provider determines that the athlete sustained a concussion or
 a   other head injury, the athlete shall
also complete a graduated return-to-play protocol of no less than
seven days in duration under the supervision of a licensed health
care provider. 
   (2) If an athlete who is 17 years of age or younger has been
removed from athletic activity due to a suspected concussion, the
youth sports organization shall notify a parent or guardian of that
athlete of the time and date of the injury, the symptoms observed,
and any treatment provided to that athlete for the injury. 

   (2) 
    (   3)  On a yearly basis,  the youth
sports organization shall give  a concussion and head injury
information sheet  to each athlete. The information sheet 
shall be signed and returned by the athlete and, if the athlete is 17
years of age or younger,  shall also be signed  by the
athlete's parent or guardian, before the athlete initiates practice
or competition. 
   (4) On a yearly basis, the youth sports organization shall give
concussion and head injury education, or educational materials, or
both, to each coach and administrator of the youth sports
organization.
    (5)     The youth sports organization shall
  identify both of the following:  
   (A) An individual within the organization who is responsible for
ensuring compliance by the organization with the requirements for
providing concussion and head injury education contained in paragraph
(4).  
   (B) Details of the return-to-play protocol required pursuant to
paragraph (1). 
   (b) As used in this section, the following terms have the
following meanings: 
   (1) "Concussion and head injury education and educational
materials" and a "concussion and head injury information sheet"
shall, at a minimum, include information relating to all of the
following:  
   (A) Head injuries and their potential consequences.  
   (B) The signs and symptoms of a concussion.  
   (C) Best practices for removal of an athlete from an athletic
activity after a suspected concussion.  
   (D) Steps for returning an athlete to school and athletic activity
after a concussion or head injury.  
   (1) 
    (   2)  "Licensed health care provider" means a
licensed health care provider who is trained in the   
evaluation and  management of concussions and is acting within
the scope of his or her practice. 
   (2) 
    (   3)  "Youth sports organization" means an
 organization   organization, which may include,
but is not necessarily limited to, a business or nonprofit entity or
a local governmental agency,  that sponsors or conducts 
amateur  athletic competitions, camps, or clubs in which persons
17 years of age or younger participate.
   (c) This section shall not be construed to prohibit a youth sports
 league,   organization,  or any other
appropriate entity, from adopting and enforcing rules intended to
provide a higher standard of safety for athletes than the standard
established under this section.