Bill Text: IL SB0150 | 2011-2012 | 97th General Assembly | Amended

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

---

Bill Title: Creates the Protecting Our Student Athletes Act. Provides that the Act applies to all schools and park districts within this State that operate or sponsor athletic programs or extracurricular activities. Requires the State Board of Education and park districts to develop and disseminate guidelines on policies to inform and educate coaches and athletes and their parents or guardians of the nature and risk of concussions, criteria for removal from and return to play, and the risks of not reporting the injury and continuing to play. Requires each school and park district to develop and implement policies and procedures to ensure compliance with the guidelines, as well as the identification and handling of suspected concussions in athletes. Sets forth what the policies must require. Contains provisions concerning liability and records of compliance. Effective July 1, 2011.

Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 14-1)

Status: (Failed) 2013-01-08 - Session Sine Die [SB0150 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2011-SB0150-Amended.html

---

Sen. Kwame Raoul

Filed: 3/1/2011

09700SB0150sam001 LRB097 05416 NHT 51683 a
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 150
AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 150 by replacing
everything after the enacting clause with the following:
"Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
Protecting Our Student Athletes Act.
Section 5. Legislative findings; recognition.
(a) The General Assembly makes the following findings:
(1) A concussion is caused by a blow or motion to the
head or body that causes the brain to move inside of the
skull.
(2) Concussions are one of the most commonly reported
injuries in children and adolescents participating in
sports and recreational activities.
(3) Concussions are a type of brain injury that can
range from mild to severe and can disrupt the way the brain
normally works.

09700SB0150sam001 - 2 - LRB097 05416 NHT 51683 a
(4) The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
estimates that nearly 4 million sports and
recreational-related concussions occur annually in the
United States.
(5) Studies show that continuing to play with a
concussion or symptoms of a head injury leaves a young
athlete especially vulnerable to greater injury and death.
(6) Studies also show that young, developing brains
take longer to heal, requiring that treatment be tailored
to specific ages.
(7) The risks of catastrophic injuries or death are
significant when a concussion or head injury is not
properly evaluated and managed.
(8) Continuing to play with a concussion or symptoms of
a head injury leaves the young athlete especially
vulnerable to greater injury and even death.
(b) The General Assembly recognizes that, despite having
generally recognized standards regarding returning to play
from a concussion or head injury, some affected student
athletes may prematurely return to play, thus exposing
themselves to further risk.
Section 10. Definitions. In this Act:
"Athlete" means a student or youth, male or female, that
participates in an athletic program, event, or extracurricular
activity operated or sponsored by a school or park district.

09700SB0150sam001 - 3 - LRB097 05416 NHT 51683 a
"Board" means the school board of a school district or the
governing body of a school.
"Department" means the Department of Public Health.
"Park district" has the meaning ascribed to that term under
Section 1-3 of the Park District Code.
"School" means any school district or public, private, or
nonpublic day or residential educational institution that
provides elementary or secondary education for grades 12 and
under.
"State Board" means the State Board of Education.
Section 15. Development of policies.
(a) This Section applies to all schools and park districts
within this State that operate or sponsor athletic programs or
extracurricular activities.
(b) Each 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 requires a
student athlete and his or her parents or guardian to sign
before participating in practice or interscholastic
competition.
The Illinois High School Association shall make available
to the school educational materials, such as visual

09700SB0150sam001 - 4 - LRB097 05416 NHT 51683 a
presentations and other written materials, that describe the
nature and risk of concussions and head injuries. The school
shall use educational 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 to
play after a concussion or head injury.
(c) Each park district shall adopt a policy regarding youth
athlete concussions and head injuries. Each park district's
policy must be consistent with guidelines developed by a
working group convened by the Department of Public Health that
includes various stakeholders deemed appropriate by the
Department.
The policy shall require the removal of any youth athlete
that exhibits signs, symptoms, or behaviors consist with a
concussion, such as a loss of consciousness, headache,
dizziness, confusion, or balance problems, from a practice or
game. The policy shall also prevent any youth athlete who has
been removed from practice or a game from returning until
cleared by an appropriate health care professional.
Information on the park district's concussion and head
injury policy must be a part of any agreement, contract, code,
or other written instrument that a park district requires a
youth athlete and his or her parents or guardian to sign before
participating in park district-sanctioned practice or
competition.

09700SB0150sam001 - 5 - LRB097 05416 NHT 51683 a
Each park district shall make available educational
materials, such as visual presentations and other written
materials, that describe the nature and risk of concussions and
head injuries. Each park district shall use the educational
materials to educate coaches, youth athletes, and parents and
guardians of youth athletes about the nature and risk of
concussions and head injuries, including continuing to play
after a concussion or head injury.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
2011.".