Bill Text: NJ S2442 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Provides that student-athlete who sustains concussion must return to regular school activities prior to return to competition; requires school districts to implement five-step return-to-competition process.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2019-06-20 - Received in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Education Committee [S2442 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-S2442-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator PATRICK J. DIEGNAN, JR.
District 18 (Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Provides that student-athlete who sustains concussion must return to regular school activities prior to return to competition; requires school districts to implement five-step return-to-competition process.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the safety of certain student-athletes and amending and supplementing P.L.2010, c.94.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. (New section) Within 180 days of the effective date of P.L., c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), the Department of Education shall revise the athletic head injury safety training program established pursuant to section 2 of P.L.2010, c.94 (C.18A:40-41.2) to include information on the graduated, five-step "Return to Play Progression" recommendations developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
2. (New section) Within 180 days of the effective date of P.L., c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), a school district shall revise its written policy concerning the prevention and treatment of sports-related concussions and other head injuries among student-athletes and cheerleaders established pursuant to section 3 of P.L.2010, c.94 (C.18A:40-41.3) to include the graduated, five-step "Return to Play Progression" recommendations developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
3. Section 4 of P.L.2010, c.94 (C.18A:40-41.4) is amended to read as follows:
4. A student who participates in an interscholastic sports program, intramural sports program, or cheerleading program and who sustains or is suspected of having sustained a concussion or other head injury while engaged in a competition or practice shall be immediately removed from the competition or practice. A student-athlete or cheerleader who is removed from competition or practice shall not participate in further sports or cheerleading activity until:
a. he is evaluated by a physician or other licensed healthcare provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussions, and receives written clearance from a physician trained in the evaluation and management of concussions to return to competition or practice; and
b. he returns to regular school activities and is no longer experiencing symptoms of the injury when conducting those activities.
The return of a student-athlete or cheerleader to competition or practice shall be in accordance with the graduated, five-step "Return to Play Progression" recommendations developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
(cf: P.L.2017, c.105, s.2)
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has developed recommendations concerning a student-athlete's return to sports and activities following a concussion or other head injury. According to the centers, a student-athlete who sustains a concussion or other head injury should not return to competition or practice until he first returns to regular school activities and is no longer experiencing symptoms of the injury when conducting those activities. Once those conditions are met, the centers recommend that the student-athlete engage in a graduated, five-step "Return-to-Play-Progression" to ensure the student-athlete's safety and well-being.
The centers' "Return-to-Play-Progression" recommendations address time frames for participating in: (1) light aerobic activity; (2) moderate activity; (3) heavy, non-contact activity; (4) practice and full contact; and (5) competition.
This bill provides that a student-athlete or cheerleader who sustains a concussion or other head injury is ineligible to return to competition or practice until he returns to regular school activities and is no longer experiencing symptoms of the injury when conducting those activities. Under the bill, the return of the student-athlete or cheerleader must be in accordance with the centers' graduated, five-step "Return to Play Progression" recommendations.
The bill also requires the Department of Education to revise its athletic head injury safety training program to include information on the centers' graduated, five-step "Return to Play Progression" recommendations.
The bill also requires a school district to revise its written policy concerning the prevention and treatment of sports-related concussions and other head injuries to include the centers' graduated, five-step "Return to Play Progression" recommendations.
