CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 734

Introduced by Assembly Member McCarty

February 13, 2023

An act to add Section 124242.5 to the Health and Safety Code, relating to youth athletics.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 734, as introduced, McCarty. Youth tackle football.
Existing law requires a youth sports organization that elects to offer an athletic program to comply with specified concussion and sudden cardiac arrest prevention protocols. Existing law, the California Youth Football Act, requires a youth sports organization that conducts a tackle football program to comply with specified protocols, including a coach receiving certain health-related certification and a parent or guardian of a youth tackle football participant receiving concussion and head injury information and an opioid-related factsheet. The act also requires a youth tackle football league, as defined, to retain information for the tracking of youth sports injuries, as specified.
This bill would, on and after January 1, 2026, prohibit a youth sports organization that conducts a tackle football program, or a youth tackle football league, from allowing a person younger than 12 years of age to be a youth tackle football participant through the organization or league.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NO   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 124242.5 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:

124242.5.
 On and after January 1, 2026, a youth sports organization that conducts a tackle football program, or a youth tackle football league, shall not allow a person younger than 12 years of age to be a youth tackle football participant through the organization or league.