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

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-Enrolled.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 2007	ENROLLED
	BILL TEXT

	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 15, 2016
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 22, 2016
	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 3, 2016
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 21, 2016
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 27, 2016
	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, 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 apply these provisions to athletes participating
in youth sports organizations, as defined to include organizations,
businesses, nonprofit entities, or local governmental agencies that
sponsor or conduct amateur sports competitions, training, camps, or
clubs in which persons 17 years of age or younger participate in any
of 27 designated sports. 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 offer concussion and head injury education,
or related educational materials, or both, to each of their coaches
and administrators on a yearly basis, as prescribed. The bill would
require each of these coaches and administrators to successfully
complete the concussion and head injury education offered under the
bill at least once either online or in person.
    The bill would also require a youth sports organization to
identify procedures for ensuring compliance with the bill's
requirements for providing concussion and head injury education and a
concussion and head injury information sheet. The bill would
additionally require the youth sports organization to identify
procedures to ensure compliance with the athlete removal provisions
and the return-to-play protocol, as specified. The bill would specify
that it applies to all persons participating in the activities of a
youth sports organization, irrespective of their ages.


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 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 any athletic activity until he or
she is evaluated by a licensed health care provider. The athlete
shall not be permitted to return to athletic activity until he or she
receives written clearance to return to athletic activity from a
licensed health care provider. If the licensed health care provider
determines that the athlete sustained a concussion or 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.
   (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. The information sheet may be sent and
returned through an electronic medium including, but not necessarily
limited to, fax or electronic mail.
   (4) On a yearly basis, the youth sports organization shall offer
concussion and head injury education, or related educational
materials, or both, to each coach and administrator of the youth
sports organization.
   (5) Each coach and administrator shall be required to successfully
complete the concussion and head injury education offered pursuant
to paragraph (4) at least once, either online or in person, before
supervising an athlete in an activity of the youth sports
organization.
   (6) The youth sports organization shall identify both of the
following:
   (A) Procedures to ensure compliance with the requirements for
providing concussion and head injury education and a concussion and
head injury information sheet, as contained in paragraphs (3) to (5),
inclusive.
   (B) Procedures to ensure compliance with the athlete removal
provisions and the return-to-play protocol required pursuant to
paragraph (1).
   (b) As used in this article, all of the following shall apply:
   (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.
   (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.
   (3) "Youth sports organization" means an organization, business,
nonprofit entity, or a local governmental agency that sponsors or
conducts amateur sports competitions, training, camps, or clubs in
which persons 17 years of age or younger participate in any of the
following sports:
   (A) Baseball.
   (B) Basketball.
   (C) Bicycle motocross (BMX).
   (D) Boxing.
   (E) Competitive cheerleading.
   (F) Diving.
   (G) Equestrian activities.
   (H) Field hockey.
   (I) Football.
   (J) Full contact martial arts.
   (K) Gymnastics.
   (L) Ice hockey.
   (M) Lacrosse.
   (N) Parkour.
   (O) Rodeo.
   (P) Roller derby.
   (Q) Rugby.
   (R) Skateboarding.
   (S) Skiing.
   (T) Soccer.
   (U) Softball.
   (V) Surfing.
   (W) Swimming.
   (X) Synchronized swimming.
   (Y) Volleyball.
   (Z) Water polo.
   (AA) Wrestling.
   (c) This section shall apply to all persons participating in the
activities of a youth sports organization, irrespective of their
ages. This section shall not be construed to prohibit a youth sports
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.