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| Public Act 097-0204 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning education.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 1. This Act may be referred to as the Protecting | ||||
Our Student Athletes Act. | ||||
Section 3. The Park District Code is amended by adding | ||||
Section 8-24 as follows: | ||||
(70 ILCS 1205/8-24 new) | ||||
Sec. 8-24. Concussion and head injury educational | ||||
materials. In addition to the other powers and authority now | ||||
possessed by it, any park district is authorized and encouraged | ||||
to make available to residents and users of park district | ||||
facilities, including youth athletic programs, electronically | ||||
or in written form, educational materials that describe the | ||||
nature and risk of concussion and head injuries, including the | ||||
advisability of removal of youth athletes that exhibit signs, | ||||
symptoms, or behaviors consistent with a concussion, such as a | ||||
loss of consciousness, headache, dizziness, confusion, or | ||||
balance problems, from a practice or game. These educational | ||||
materials may include materials produced or distributed by the | ||||
Illinois High School Association, those produced by the U.S. | ||||
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or other comparable | ||||
materials. The intent of these materials is to assist in | ||
educating coaches, youth athletes, and parents and guardians of | ||
youth athletes about the nature and risks of head injuries. | ||
Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Sections | ||
10-20.53 and 34-18.45 as follows: | ||
(105 ILCS 5/10-20.53 new) | ||
Sec. 10-20.53. Student athletes; concussions and head | ||
injuries. | ||
(a) The General Assembly recognizes all of the following: | ||
(1) Concussions are one of the most commonly reported | ||
injuries in children and adolescents who participate in | ||
sports and recreational activities. The Centers for | ||
Disease Control and Prevention estimates that as many as | ||
3,900,000 sports-related and recreation-related | ||
concussions occur in the United States each year. A | ||
concussion is caused by a blow or motion to the head or | ||
body that causes the brain to move rapidly inside the | ||
skull. The risk of catastrophic injuries or death are | ||
significant when a concussion or head injury is not | ||
properly evaluated and managed. | ||
(2) Concussions are a type of brain injury that can | ||
range from mild to severe and can disrupt the way the brain | ||
normally works. Concussions can occur in any organized or | ||
unorganized sport or recreational activity and can result | ||
from a fall or from players colliding with each other, the | ||
ground, or with obstacles. Concussions occur with or | ||
without loss of consciousness, but the vast majority of | ||
concussions occur without loss of consciousness. | ||
(3) Continuing to play with a concussion or symptoms of | ||
a head injury leaves a young athlete especially vulnerable | ||
to greater injury and even death. The General Assembly | ||
recognizes that, despite having generally recognized | ||
return-to-play standards for concussions and head | ||
injuries, some affected youth athletes are prematurely | ||
returned to play, resulting in actual or potential physical | ||
injury or death to youth athletes in this State. | ||
(b) Each school board shall adopt a policy regarding | ||
student athlete concussions and head injuries that is in | ||
compliance with the protocols, policies, and by-laws of the | ||
Illinois High School Association. Information on the school | ||
board's concussion and head injury policy must be a part of any | ||
agreement, contract, code, or other written instrument that a | ||
school district requires a student athlete and his or her | ||
parents or guardian to sign before participating in practice or | ||
interscholastic competition. | ||
(c) The Illinois High School Association shall make | ||
available to all school districts, including elementary school | ||
districts, education materials, such as visual presentations | ||
and other written materials, that describe the nature and risk | ||
of concussions and head injuries. Each school district shall | ||
use education materials provided by the Illinois High School | ||
Association to educate coaches, student athletes, and parents | ||
and guardians of student athletes about the nature and risk of | ||
concussions and head injuries, including continuing play after | ||
a concussion or head injury. | ||
(105 ILCS 5/34-18.45 new) | ||
Sec. 34-18.45. Student athletes; concussions and head | ||
injuries. | ||
(a) The General Assembly recognizes all of the following: | ||
(1) Concussions are one of the most commonly reported | ||
injuries in children and adolescents who participate in | ||
sports and recreational activities. The Centers for | ||
Disease Control and Prevention estimates that as many as | ||
3,900,000 sports-related and recreation-related | ||
concussions occur in the United States each year. A | ||
concussion is caused by a blow or motion to the head or | ||
body that causes the brain to move rapidly inside the | ||
skull. The risk of catastrophic injuries or death are | ||
significant when a concussion or head injury is not | ||
properly evaluated and managed. | ||
(2) Concussions are a type of brain injury that can | ||
range from mild to severe and can disrupt the way the brain | ||
normally works. Concussions can occur in any organized or | ||
unorganized sport or recreational activity and can result | ||
from a fall or from players colliding with each other, the | ||
ground, or with obstacles. Concussions occur with or | ||
without loss of consciousness, but the vast majority of | ||
concussions occur without loss of consciousness. | ||
(3) Continuing to play with a concussion or symptoms of | ||
a head injury leaves a young athlete especially vulnerable | ||
to greater injury and even death. The General Assembly | ||
recognizes that, despite having generally recognized | ||
return-to-play standards for concussions and head | ||
injuries, some affected youth athletes are prematurely | ||
returned to play, resulting in actual or potential physical | ||
injury or death to youth athletes in this State. | ||
(b) The board shall adopt a policy regarding student | ||
athlete concussions and head injuries that is in compliance | ||
with the protocols, policies, and by-laws of the Illinois High | ||
School Association. Information on the board's concussion and | ||
head injury policy must be a part of any agreement, contract, | ||
code, or other written instrument that the school district | ||
requires a student athlete and his or her parents or guardian | ||
to sign before participating in practice or interscholastic | ||
competition. | ||
(c) The Illinois High School Association shall make | ||
available to the school district education materials, such as | ||
visual presentations and other written materials, that | ||
describe the nature and risk of concussions and head injuries. | ||
The school district shall use education materials provided by | ||
the Illinois High School Association to educate coaches, | ||
student athletes, and parents and guardians of student athletes | ||
about the nature and risk of concussions and head injuries, | ||
including continuing play after a concussion or head injury.
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, | ||
2011. | ||