2014 -- H 7367 SUBSTITUTE A | |
======== | |
LC004326/SUB A | |
======== | |
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014 | |
____________ | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO EDUCATION - SCHOOL AND YOUTH PROGRAMS CONCUSSION ACT | |
| |
Introduced By: Representatives Gallison, Bennett, Silva, Casey, and Marshall | |
Date Introduced: February 06, 2014 | |
Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
1 | SECTION 1. Sections 16-91-1 and 16-91-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-91 |
2 | entitled "School and Youth Programs Concussion Act" are hereby amended to read as follows: |
3 | 16-91-1. Findings of fact. -- The general assembly hereby finds and declares: (1) |
4 | Concussions are one of the most commonly reported injuries in children and adolescents who |
5 | participate in sports and recreational activities. A concussion is caused by a blow or motion to the |
6 | head or body that causes the brain to move rapidly inside the skull. The risk of catastrophic |
7 | injuries or death is significant when a concussion or head injury is not properly evaluated and |
8 | managed. |
9 | (2) Concussions are a type of brain injury that can range from mild to severe and can |
10 | disrupt the way the brain normally works. Concussions can occur in any organized or |
11 | unorganized sport or recreational activity and can result from a fall or from players colliding with |
12 | each other, the ground, or with obstacles. Concussions occur with or without loss of |
13 | consciousness, but the vast majority occurs without loss of consciousness. |
14 | (3) Continuing to play with a concussion or symptoms of a head injury leaves the young |
15 | athlete especially vulnerable to greater injury and even death. The general assembly also |
16 | recognizes that, despite having generally recognized return-to-play standards for concussion and |
17 | head injury, some affected youth athletes are prematurely returned to play resulting in actual or |
18 | potential physical injury or death to youth athletes in the Sstate of Rhode Island. |
19 | (4) Concussions can occur in any sport or recreational activity, furthermore, symptoms |
| |
1 | of concussions may manifest themselves after the injury during school hours and in the classroom |
2 | setting. All school nurses, coaches, parents, and athletes shall be advised of the signs and |
3 | symptoms of concussions as well as the protocol for treatment. |
4 | 16-91-3. School district's guidelines to be developed and implemented. -- (a) The |
5 | department of education and the department of health shall work in concert with the Rhode Island |
6 | Interscholastic League to develop and promulgate guidelines to inform and educate coaches, |
7 | teachers, school nurses, youth athletes, and their parents and/or guardians of the nature and risk of |
8 | concussion and head injury, including continuing to play after concussion or head injury. A |
9 | concussion and head injury information sheet shall be signed and returned by the youth athlete |
10 | and the athlete's parent and/or guardian prior to the youth athlete's return to practice or |
11 | competition. |
12 | (b) School districts are required to use training materials made available by the United |
13 | States Center for Disease Control and Prevention entitled "Heads Up: Concussion in the High |
14 | School Sports/Concussion in Youth Sports" and any updates or amendments thereto, or training |
15 | materials substantively and substantially similar thereto. The department of education shall post |
16 | training materials made available by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the |
17 | Rhode Island Interscholastic League on its website. All coaches and volunteers involved in a |
18 | youth sport or activity covered by this chapter must complete a training course and a refresher |
19 | course annually thereafter in concussions and traumatic brain injuries. All school nurses must |
20 | complete a training course and an annual refresher course in concussions and traumatic brain |
21 | injuries. Teachers and teachers' aides are strongly encouraged to complete the training course in |
22 | concussions and traumatic brain injuries. Training may consist of videos, classes, and any other |
23 | generally accepted mode and medium of providing information. School districts are encouraged |
24 | to have school nurses complete a training course in concussions and traumatic brain injuries. |
25 | (c) School districts are encouraged to have all student athletes perform baseline |
26 | neuropsychological testing, computerized or otherwise. Parents and/or guardians shall be |
27 | provided with information as to the risk of concussion and/or traumatic brain injuries prior to the |
28 | start of every sport season and they shall sign an acknowledgement as to their receipt of such |
29 | information. |
30 | (d) A youth athlete, who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury in a |
31 | practice or game, shall be removed from competition at that time. |
32 | (e) A youth athlete, who has been removed from play, may not return to play until the |
33 | athlete is evaluated by a licensed physician who may consult with an athletic trainer, all of whom |
34 | shall be trained in the evaluation and management of concussions. The athlete must receive |
| LC004326/SUB A - Page 2 of 4 |
1 | written clearance to return to play from that licensed physician. |
2 | (f) All school districts are encouraged to have an athletic trainer, or similarly trained |
3 | person, at all recreational and athletic events addressed by this statute. |
4 | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
======== | |
LC004326/SUB A | |
======== | |
| LC004326/SUB A - Page 3 of 4 |
EXPLANATION | |
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
OF | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO EDUCATION - SCHOOL AND YOUTH PROGRAMS CONCUSSION ACT | |
*** | |
1 | This act would require all school nurses to complete a training course and an annual |
2 | refresher course in concussions and traumatic brain injuries. |
3 | This act would take effect upon passage. |
======== | |
LC004326/SUB A | |
======== | |
| LC004326/SUB A - Page 4 of 4 |