STATE OF NEW JERSEY
218th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2018 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator JAMES BEACH
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
Senator M. TERESA RUIZ
District 29 (Essex)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senators Vitale, Bateman, A.R.Bucco, T.Kean, Cruz-Perez, Sacco, Codey, Weinberg, Stack, Pennacchio, Thompson, Turner and Madden
SYNOPSIS
Requires public school student with concussion to be evaluated by physician or other licensed health care provider before return to school and return to physical activity at school.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning the health of students and supplementing chapter 40 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. A student enrolled in a school district who sustains a concussion shall receive an evaluation by a physician or other licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussions, and written clearance from a physician trained in the evaluation and management of concussions to return to school. In the event that the physician provides notice that the student requires restrictions or limitations, the school district 504 team as defined in N.J.A.C.6A:8-1.3 shall immediately implement the restrictions or limitations and shall notify all teachers and staff who have contact with students of the restrictions or limitations. The school district's 504 team, in consultation with the physician who provided notice, shall promptly identify the manner in which the restrictions or limitations will be provided to the student during recovery and the need for the continuation or adjustment of the restrictions or limitations, and to determine the duration of the restrictions or limitations.
b. A student enrolled in a school district who sustains a concussion is prohibited from engaging in any physical activity at school including, but not limited to, recess, physical education, or intramural sports, and shall not participate in any physical activity at school until the student is evaluated by a physician or other licensed health care 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 participate in physical activity.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill provides that a student enrolled in a school district who sustains a concussion must receive an evaluation by a physician or other licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussions and written clearance from one of these physicians in order to return to school. In the event that the physician provides notice that the student requires restrictions or limitations, the school district 504 team must immediately implement the restrictions or limitations and notify all teachers and staff who have contact with the student of the restrictions or limitations. The school district's 504 team, in consultation with the physician who provided notice, would promptly identify the manner in which the restrictions or limitations would be provided to the student during recovery and the need for the continuation or adjustment of the restrictions or limitations, and to determine the duration of the restrictions or limitations.
The bill also provides that a student enrolled in a school district who sustains a concussion is prohibited from engaging in any physical activity at school including, but not limited to, recess, physical education, or intramural sports. The student may not participate in any physical activity until he is evaluated by a physician or other licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussions and he receives written clearance from the physician to participate.