HB0200 EnrolledLRB097 00089 NHT 40097 b

1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. This Act may be referred to as the Protecting
5Our Student Athletes Act.
 
6    Section 3. The Park District Code is amended by adding
7Section 8-24 as follows:
 
8    (70 ILCS 1205/8-24 new)
9    Sec. 8-24. Concussion and head injury educational
10materials. In addition to the other powers and authority now
11possessed by it, any park district is authorized and encouraged
12to make available to residents and users of park district
13facilities, including youth athletic programs, electronically
14or in written form, educational materials that describe the
15nature and risk of concussion and head injuries, including the
16advisability of removal of youth athletes that exhibit signs,
17symptoms, or behaviors consistent with a concussion, such as a
18loss of consciousness, headache, dizziness, confusion, or
19balance problems, from a practice or game. These educational
20materials may include materials produced or distributed by the
21Illinois High School Association, those produced by the U.S.
22Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or other comparable

 

 

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1materials. The intent of these materials is to assist in
2educating coaches, youth athletes, and parents and guardians of
3youth athletes about the nature and risks of head injuries.
 
4    Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Sections
510-20.53 and 34-18.45 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/10-20.53 new)
7    Sec. 10-20.53. 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
24    unorganized sport or recreational activity and can result

 

 

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1    from a fall or from players colliding with each other, the
2    ground, or with obstacles. Concussions occur with or
3    without loss of consciousness, but the vast majority of
4    concussions occur without loss of consciousness.
5        (3) Continuing to play with a concussion or symptoms of
6    a head injury leaves a young athlete especially vulnerable
7    to greater injury and even death. The General Assembly
8    recognizes that, despite having generally recognized
9    return-to-play standards for concussions and head
10    injuries, some affected youth athletes are prematurely
11    returned to play, resulting in actual or potential physical
12    injury or death to youth athletes in this State.
13    (b) Each school board shall adopt a policy regarding
14student athlete concussions and head injuries that is in
15compliance with the protocols, policies, and by-laws of the
16Illinois High School Association. Information on the school
17board's concussion and head injury policy must be a part of any
18agreement, contract, code, or other written instrument that a
19school district requires a student athlete and his or her
20parents or guardian to sign before participating in practice or
21interscholastic competition.
22    (c) The Illinois High School Association shall make
23available to all school districts, including elementary school
24districts, education materials, such as visual presentations
25and other written materials, that describe the nature and risk
26of concussions and head injuries. Each school district shall

 

 

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1use education materials provided by the Illinois High School
2Association to educate coaches, student athletes, and parents
3and guardians of student athletes about the nature and risk of
4concussions and head injuries, including continuing play after
5a concussion or head injury.
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/34-18.45 new)
7    Sec. 34-18.45. 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
24    unorganized sport or recreational activity and can result
25    from a fall or from players colliding with each other, the

 

 

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1    ground, or with obstacles. Concussions occur with or
2    without loss of consciousness, but the vast majority of
3    concussions occur without loss of consciousness.
4        (3) Continuing to play with a concussion or symptoms of
5    a head injury leaves a young athlete especially vulnerable
6    to greater injury and even death. The General Assembly
7    recognizes that, despite having generally recognized
8    return-to-play standards for concussions and head
9    injuries, some affected youth athletes are prematurely
10    returned to play, resulting in actual or potential physical
11    injury or death to youth athletes in this State.
12    (b) The board shall adopt a policy regarding student
13athlete concussions and head injuries that is in compliance
14with the protocols, policies, and by-laws of the Illinois High
15School Association. Information on the board's concussion and
16head injury policy must be a part of any agreement, contract,
17code, or other written instrument that the school district
18requires a student athlete and his or her parents or guardian
19to sign before participating in practice or interscholastic
20competition.
21    (c) The Illinois High School Association shall make
22available to the school district education materials, such as
23visual presentations and other written materials, that
24describe the nature and risk of concussions and head injuries.
25The school district shall use education materials provided by
26the Illinois High School Association to educate coaches,

 

 

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1student athletes, and parents and guardians of student athletes
2about the nature and risk of concussions and head injuries,
3including continuing play after a concussion or head injury.
 
4    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
52011.