Public Act 098-1011
 
HB5431 EnrolledLRB098 17942 OMW 53066 b


  
    AN ACT concerning education.
  
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
represented in the General Assembly:
  
 
 
    Section 5. The Interscholastic Athletic Organization Act 
is amended  by adding Section 1.15 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 25/1.15 new)
    Sec. 1.15. Mandatory online concussion certification. 
    (a) An association or other entity that has, as one of its 
purposes, promoting, sponsoring, regulating, or in any manner 
providing for interscholastic athletics or any form of athletic 
competition among schools and students within this State shall 
develop an online certification for high school coaching 
personnel and athletic directors in concussion awareness and 
reduction of repetitive sub-concussive hits and concussions. 
The certification program shall be offered free of charge to 
member high schools. The program may be offered to non-member 
schools or athletic organizations for a fee determined by the 
association.
    (b) On and after the effective date of this amendatory Act 
of the 98th General Assembly, online concussion certification 
is mandatory for all high school coaching personnel, including 
the head and assistant coaches, and the athletic directors. 
Coaching personnel and athletic directors hired before the 
effective date of this amendatory Act of the 98th General 
Assembly shall be certified within one year after the effective 
date of this amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly. 
Coaching personnel and athletic directors hired on and after 
the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 98th General 
Assembly must be certified under this Section before the 
starting date of their position.
    (c) The mandatory online certification program content 
shall be updated annually, include a video, and focus on, but 
not be limited to, the following topics:
        (1) concussion awareness training that includes 
    general comments about the subject of concussions, 
    concussion recognition, best practices for avoiding 
    concussions, an athlete's removal from a game, and an 
    athlete's return to play; and
        (2) repetitive sub-concussive head trauma awareness 
    training that includes the potential long-term effects of 
    sub-concussive head trauma and techniques to reduce its 
    occurrence during practice and competitions.
    (d) To pass the concussion certification required under 
this Section, coaching personnel and athletic directors shall 
review the association's online material and demonstrate 
proficiency on the test developed by the association. The 
certification shall be renewed every 2 years. 
    (e) High school coaching personnel and athletic directors 
shall annually require their student athletes to watch the 
video in the online concussion certification program under 
subsection (c) of this Section to increase athlete awareness of 
the risk of concussions and sub-concussive hits to the head.
    (f) High school coaching personnel and athletic directors 
shall encourage coaches of youth sports organizations to 
consider this certification.
 
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
becoming law.