Bill Text: NJ A1402 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires youth sports team organizations or cheerleading programs to implement written head injury policies.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-01-27 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Women and Children Committee [A1402 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2016-A1402-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
217th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2016 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman GORDON M. JOHNSON
District 37 (Bergen)
Assemblyman BENJIE E. WIMBERLY
District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Requires youth sports team organizations or cheerleading programs to implement written head injury policies.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning head injuries and youth athletes and cheerleaders and supplementing Title 5 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. All youth sports team organizations or cheerleading programs shall implement a written policy concerning the prevention and treatment of sports-related concussions and other head injuries among youth athletes or cheerleaders.
b. The policies shall be consistent with the provisions of the model policy established by the Commissioner of Education pursuant to section 3 of P.L.2010, c.94 (C.18A:40-41.3) and shall include, but not be limited to: pre-season baseline testing of all youth athletes or cheerleaders; provision of educational information on prevention of head injuries in youth athletes or cheerleaders to parents or guardians of participants; training on early identification and treatment of head injuries for coaches and athletic directors; and immediate removal of youth athletes or cheerleaders who are suspected of having sustained a head injury from practice or competition until evaluated and cleared by a physician or other licensed healthcare provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussions.
c. The policies implemented in accordance with this section shall be in effect by the 120th day following the effective date of this act and shall be reviewed annually and updated as necessary, by the youth sports team organization or cheerleading programs to ensure that it reflects the most current information available on the prevention, risk, and treatment of sports-related concussions and other head injuries.
d. As used in this section, a "youth sports team organization" means one or more sports teams organized pursuant to a nonprofit or similar charter or which are member teams in a league organized by or affiliated with a county or municipal recreation department. A "cheerleading program" means a cheerleading or dance team organized pursuant to a nonprofit or similar charter or which are member teams in a league organized by or affiliated with a county or municipal recreation department.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires youth sports team organizations and cheerleading programs to implement a written policy concerning the prevention and treatment of sports-related concussions and other head injuries among youth athletes and cheerleaders.
Under current law, school districts are obligated to have implemented such policies for participants in interscholastic athletics, including cheerleaders. This bill extends that requirement to youth sports team organizations or cheerleading programs. As used in the bill, a "youth sports team organization" means one or more sports teams organized pursuant to a nonprofit or similar charter or which are member teams in a league organized by or affiliated with a county or municipal recreation department, and a "cheerleading program" means a cheerleading or dance team organized pursuant to a nonprofit or similar charter or which is a member team in a league organized by or affiliated with a county or municipal recreation department.
The bill requires the policies to be consistent with the provisions of the model policy established by the Commissioner of Education. They shall include, but not be limited to: pre-season baseline testing of all youth athletes or cheerleaders; provision of educational information on prevention of head injuries in youth athletes or cheerleaders to their parents or guardians; training on early identification and treatment of head injuries for coaches and athletic directors; and immediate removal of youth athletes or cheerleaders who are suspected of having sustained a head injury from practice or competition until evaluated and cleared by a physician or other licensed healthcare provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussions.
