Bill Text: IL HB0200 | 2011-2012 | 97th General Assembly | Enrolled

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

---

Bill Title: Amends the School Code. Requires a school board to work in concert with the Illinois High School Association to develop guidelines and other pertinent information and forms to inform and educate coaches, student athletes, and these athletes' parents and guardians of the nature and risk of concussions and head injuries, including continuing to play after a concussion or head injury. Requires the concussion and head injury information sheet to be signed and returned by a student athlete and the athlete's parent or guardian prior to the student athlete's initiating practice or competition. Provides that a school board shall adopt a policy requiring a student athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury in a practice or game to be removed from competition at that time. Requires the policy to provide that a student athlete who has been removed from play may not return to play until the student athlete is evaluated by a licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussions and head injuries and the student athlete receives written clearance to return to play from that health care provider.

Sponsorship: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2011-07-28 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 97-0204 [HB0200 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2011-HB0200-Enrolled.html

---

HB0200 Enrolled LRB097 00089 NHT 40097 b
AN ACT concerning education.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 1. This Act may be referred to as the Protecting
Our Student Athletes Act.
Section 3. The Park District Code is amended by adding
Section 8-24 as follows:
(70 ILCS 1205/8-24 new)
Sec. 8-24. Concussion and head injury educational
materials. In addition to the other powers and authority now
possessed by it, any park district is authorized and encouraged
to make available to residents and users of park district
facilities, including youth athletic programs, electronically
or in written form, educational materials that describe the
nature and risk of concussion and head injuries, including the
advisability of removal of youth athletes that exhibit signs,
symptoms, or behaviors consistent with a concussion, such as a
loss of consciousness, headache, dizziness, confusion, or
balance problems, from a practice or game. These educational
materials may include materials produced or distributed by the
Illinois High School Association, those produced by the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or other comparable

HB0200 Enrolled - 2 - LRB097 00089 NHT 40097 b
materials. The intent of these materials is to assist in
educating coaches, youth athletes, and parents and guardians of
youth athletes about the nature and risks of head injuries.
Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Sections
10-20.53 and 34-18.45 as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/10-20.53 new)
Sec. 10-20.53. Student athletes; concussions and head
injuries.
(a) The General Assembly recognizes all of the following:
(1) Concussions are one of the most commonly reported
injuries in children and adolescents who participate in
sports and recreational activities. The Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention estimates that as many as
3,900,000 sports-related and recreation-related
concussions occur in the United States each year. A
concussion is caused by a blow or motion to the head or
body that causes the brain to move rapidly inside the
skull. The risk of catastrophic injuries or death are
significant when a concussion or head injury is not
properly evaluated and managed.
(2) Concussions are a type of brain injury that can
range from mild to severe and can disrupt the way the brain
normally works. Concussions can occur in any organized or
unorganized sport or recreational activity and can result

HB0200 Enrolled - 3 - LRB097 00089 NHT 40097 b
from a fall or from players colliding with each other, the
ground, or with obstacles. Concussions occur with or
without loss of consciousness, but the vast majority of
concussions occur without loss of consciousness.
(3) Continuing to play with a concussion or symptoms of
a head injury leaves a young athlete especially vulnerable
to greater injury and even death. The General Assembly
recognizes that, despite having generally recognized
return-to-play standards for concussions and head
injuries, some affected youth athletes are prematurely
returned to play, resulting in actual or potential physical
injury or death to youth athletes in this State.
(b) Each school board shall adopt a policy regarding
student athlete concussions and head injuries that is in
compliance with the protocols, policies, and by-laws of the
Illinois High School Association. Information on the school
board's concussion and head injury policy must be a part of any
agreement, contract, code, or other written instrument that a
school district requires a student athlete and his or her
parents or guardian to sign before participating in practice or
interscholastic competition.
(c) The Illinois High School Association shall make
available to all school districts, including elementary school
districts, education materials, such as visual presentations
and other written materials, that describe the nature and risk
of concussions and head injuries. Each school district shall

HB0200 Enrolled - 4 - LRB097 00089 NHT 40097 b
use education materials provided by the Illinois High School
Association to educate coaches, student athletes, and parents
and guardians of student athletes about the nature and risk of
concussions and head injuries, including continuing play after
a concussion or head injury.
(105 ILCS 5/34-18.45 new)
Sec. 34-18.45. Student athletes; concussions and head
injuries.
(a) The General Assembly recognizes all of the following:
(1) Concussions are one of the most commonly reported
injuries in children and adolescents who participate in
sports and recreational activities. The Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention estimates that as many as
3,900,000 sports-related and recreation-related
concussions occur in the United States each year. A
concussion is caused by a blow or motion to the head or
body that causes the brain to move rapidly inside the
skull. The risk of catastrophic injuries or death are
significant when a concussion or head injury is not
properly evaluated and managed.
(2) Concussions are a type of brain injury that can
range from mild to severe and can disrupt the way the brain
normally works. Concussions can occur in any organized or
unorganized sport or recreational activity and can result
from a fall or from players colliding with each other, the

HB0200 Enrolled - 5 - LRB097 00089 NHT 40097 b
ground, or with obstacles. Concussions occur with or
without loss of consciousness, but the vast majority of
concussions occur without loss of consciousness.
(3) Continuing to play with a concussion or symptoms of
a head injury leaves a young athlete especially vulnerable
to greater injury and even death. The General Assembly
recognizes that, despite having generally recognized
return-to-play standards for concussions and head
injuries, some affected youth athletes are prematurely
returned to play, resulting in actual or potential physical
injury or death to youth athletes in this State.
(b) The board shall adopt a policy regarding student
athlete concussions and head injuries that is in compliance
with the protocols, policies, and by-laws of the Illinois High
School Association. Information on the board's concussion and
head injury policy must be a part of any agreement, contract,
code, or other written instrument that the school district
requires a student athlete and his or her parents or guardian
to sign before participating in practice or interscholastic
competition.
(c) The Illinois High School Association shall make
available to the school district education materials, such as
visual presentations and other written materials, that
describe the nature and risk of concussions and head injuries.
The school district shall use education materials provided by
the Illinois High School Association to educate coaches,

HB0200 Enrolled - 6 - LRB097 00089 NHT 40097 b
student athletes, and parents and guardians of student athletes
about the nature and risk of concussions and head injuries,
including continuing play after a concussion or head injury.