99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2015 and 2016
SB0778

 

Introduced 2/4/2015, by Sen. Ira I. Silverstein

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/10-20.54
105 ILCS 5/34-18.46

    Amends the School Code. Provides that a school board's concussion and head injury policy must require that a student athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury in a practice or game be removed from play at that time. Requires the policy to provide that a student athlete who has been removed from play may not return to play until the student athlete is evaluated by a licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussions and head injuries and the student athlete receives written clearance to return to play from that health care provider.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Sections
510-20.54 and 34-18.46 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/10-20.54)
7    Sec. 10-20.54. Student athletes; concussions and head
8injuries.
9    (a) The General Assembly recognizes all of the following:
10        (1) Concussions are one of the most commonly reported
11    injuries in children and adolescents who participate in
12    sports and recreational activities. The Centers for
13    Disease Control and Prevention estimates that as many as
14    3,900,000 sports-related and recreation-related
15    concussions occur in the United States each year. A
16    concussion is caused by a blow or motion to the head or
17    body that causes the brain to move rapidly inside the
18    skull. The risk of catastrophic injuries or death are
19    significant when a concussion or head injury is not
20    properly evaluated and managed.
21        (2) Concussions are a type of brain injury that can
22    range from mild to severe and can disrupt the way the brain
23    normally works. Concussions can occur in any organized or

 

 

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1    unorganized sport or recreational activity and can result
2    from a fall or from players colliding with each other, the
3    ground, or with obstacles. Concussions occur with or
4    without loss of consciousness, but the vast majority of
5    concussions occur without loss of consciousness.
6        (3) Continuing to play with a concussion or symptoms of
7    a head injury leaves a young athlete especially vulnerable
8    to greater injury and even death. The General Assembly
9    recognizes that, despite having generally recognized
10    return-to-play standards for concussions and head
11    injuries, some affected youth athletes are prematurely
12    returned to play, resulting in actual or potential physical
13    injury or death to youth athletes in this State.
14    (b) Each school board shall adopt a policy regarding
15student athlete concussions and head injuries that is in
16compliance with the protocols, policies, and by-laws of the
17Illinois High School Association. In addition, the policy shall
18require that a student athlete who is suspected of sustaining a
19concussion or head injury in a practice or game be removed from
20play at that time. The policy shall provide that a student
21athlete who has been removed from play may not return to play
22until the student athlete is evaluated by a licensed health
23care provider trained in the evaluation and management of
24concussions and head injuries and the student athlete receives
25written clearance to return to play from that health care
26provider.

 

 

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1     Information on the school board's concussion and head
2injury policy must be a part of any agreement, contract, code,
3or other written instrument that a school district requires a
4student athlete and his or her parents or guardian to sign
5before participating in practice or interscholastic
6competition.
7    (c) The Illinois High School Association shall make
8available to all school districts, including elementary school
9districts, education materials, such as visual presentations
10and other written materials, that describe the nature and risk
11of concussions and head injuries. Each school district shall
12use education materials provided by the Illinois High School
13Association to educate coaches, student athletes, and parents
14and guardians of student athletes about the nature and risk of
15concussions and head injuries, including continuing play after
16a concussion or head injury.
17(Source: P.A. 97-204, eff. 7-28-11; 97-813, eff. 7-13-12.)
 
18    (105 ILCS 5/34-18.46)
19    Sec. 34-18.46. Student athletes; concussions and head
20injuries.
21    (a) The General Assembly recognizes all of the following:
22        (1) Concussions are one of the most commonly reported
23    injuries in children and adolescents who participate in
24    sports and recreational activities. The Centers for
25    Disease Control and Prevention estimates that as many as

 

 

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1    3,900,000 sports-related and recreation-related
2    concussions occur in the United States each year. A
3    concussion is caused by a blow or motion to the head or
4    body that causes the brain to move rapidly inside the
5    skull. The risk of catastrophic injuries or death are
6    significant when a concussion or head injury is not
7    properly evaluated and managed.
8        (2) Concussions are a type of brain injury that can
9    range from mild to severe and can disrupt the way the brain
10    normally works. Concussions can occur in any organized or
11    unorganized sport or recreational activity and can result
12    from a fall or from players colliding with each other, the
13    ground, or with obstacles. Concussions occur with or
14    without loss of consciousness, but the vast majority of
15    concussions occur without loss of consciousness.
16        (3) Continuing to play with a concussion or symptoms of
17    a head injury leaves a young athlete especially vulnerable
18    to greater injury and even death. The General Assembly
19    recognizes that, despite having generally recognized
20    return-to-play standards for concussions and head
21    injuries, some affected youth athletes are prematurely
22    returned to play, resulting in actual or potential physical
23    injury or death to youth athletes in this State.
24    (b) The board shall adopt a policy regarding student
25athlete concussions and head injuries that is in compliance
26with the protocols, policies, and by-laws of the Illinois High

 

 

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1School Association. In addition, the policy shall require that
2a student athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion
3or head injury in a practice or game be removed from play at
4that time. The policy shall provide that a student athlete who
5has been removed from play may not return to play until the
6student athlete is evaluated by a licensed health care provider
7trained in the evaluation and management of concussions and
8head injuries and the student athlete receives written
9clearance to return to play from that health care provider.
10    Information on the board's concussion and head injury
11policy must be a part of any agreement, contract, code, or
12other written instrument that the school district requires a
13student athlete and his or her parents or guardian to sign
14before participating in practice or interscholastic
15competition.
16    (c) The Illinois High School Association shall make
17available to the school district education materials, such as
18visual presentations and other written materials, that
19describe the nature and risk of concussions and head injuries.
20The school district shall use education materials provided by
21the Illinois High School Association to educate coaches,
22student athletes, and parents and guardians of student athletes
23about the nature and risk of concussions and head injuries,
24including continuing play after a concussion or head injury.
25(Source: P.A. 97-204, eff. 7-28-11; 97-813, eff. 7-13-12.)