Bill Text: NJ SR74 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Urges school districts to implement a baseline cognitive testing program to assist in measuring the post-injury condition of a student athlete or cheerleader who has sustained a concussion.*

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2011-12-15 - Passed by the Senate (Voice) [SR74 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2010-SR74-Amended.html

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[First Reprint]

SENATE RESOLUTION No. 74

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

214th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED JUNE 24, 2010

 

 

Sponsored by:

Senator  RICHARD J. CODEY

District 27 (Essex)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Urges school districts to implement a baseline cognitive testing program to assist in measuring the post-injury condition of a student-athlete or cheerleader who has sustained a concussion.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As reported by the Senate Education Committee on December 1, 2011, with amendments.

  

A Senate Resolution urging school districts to implement a baseline cognitive testing program for student-athletes ¹and cheerleaders¹.

 

Whereas, A baseline or pre-season cognitive test is a pre-injury measurement of an athlete's ¹or cheerleader's¹ cognitive function; and

Whereas, In the United States, the annual incidence of sports-related concussions is estimated at 300,000, and the likelihood of an athlete who participates in a contact sport experiencing a concussion may be as high as 19% per season; and

Whereas, Although the majority of athletes ¹and cheerleaders¹ who experience a concussion are likely to recover, many of these individuals may experience "Post-Concussion Syndrome," which is a multitude of chronic cognitive and neurobehavioral difficulties related to recurrent injury; and

Whereas, Additionally, suffering a second blow to the head while recovering from an initial concussion can have catastrophic consequences, and has led to approximately 30 to 40 deaths over the past decade; and

Whereas, Such difficulties can be prevented if the athlete ¹or cheerleader¹ is allowed time to recover from the concussion and the decision to allow the athlete ¹or cheerleader¹ to return to ¹[athletic activity] competition or practice¹ is carefully made; and

Whereas, Baseline cognitive testing programs, such as the Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) program, are specifically designed for the management of sports-related concussions, and assist physicians and athletic trainers in making the decision about whether to allow a ¹[student-athlete] student¹ to return to ¹[athletic activity] competition or practice¹ after suffering a concussion by providing an objective measurement with which to compare the ¹[student-athlete's] student's¹ cognitive functioning; and

Whereas, A baseline cognitive testing program measures multiple aspects of cognitive functioning in athletes ¹and cheerleaders¹, including attention span, working memory, sustained and selective attention time, response variability, non-verbal problem solving, and reaction time; and

Whereas, In order to ensure the safety of student-athletes ¹and cheerleaders¹, it is imperative that school districts implement a baseline cognitive testing program to guarantee that necessary precautions are taken to prevent further injury to those ¹[student-athletes] students¹ who have sustained a concussion; now, therefore,

 

     Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    This House urges school districts to implement a baseline cognitive testing program for student-athletes ¹and cheerleaders¹ prior to the commencement of the athletic season ¹or cheerleading season¹ to assist in measuring the post-injury condition of a student-athlete ¹or cheerleader¹ who has sustained a concussion in order to enhance and ensure their safety.

 

     2.    Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the President of the Senate and attested by the Secretary thereof, shall be transmitted to the State Board of Education, which is urged to distribute to each school district information concerning baseline cognitive testing programs.