HB 7048 — AN ACT PROTECTING YOUTH AND STUDENT ATHLETES FROM CONCUSSIONS.

General Assembly   RaisedSubstitute Bill No.

7048 January Session, 2017   LCO*_____HB07048PH____032917____* No.AN ACT PROTECTING YOUTH AND STUDENT ATHLETES FROM CONCUSSIONS.

3669   *03669_______PH_* Referred to Committee on PUBLIC HEALTH   Introduced by:

  (PH)   AN ACT PROTECTING YOUTH AND STUDENT ATHLETES FROM CONCUSSIONS.

(1) "Youth athletic activity" means an organized athletic activity involving participants [ofof not less than seven years of age and not more than nineteen]nineteen under twenty years of age, who (A) (i) engage in an organized athletic game or competition against another team, club or entity or in practice or preparation for an organized game or competition against another team, club or entity, or (ii) attend an organized athletic camp or clinic the purpose of which is to train, instruct or prepare such participants to engage in an organized athletic game or competition, and (B) (i) pay a fee to participate in such organized athletic game or competition or attend such camp or clinic, or (ii) whose cost to participate in such athletic game or competition or attend such camp or clinic is sponsored by a municipality, business or nonprofit organization.

and (2) "Operator" means any municipality, business or nonprofit organization that conducts, coordinates, organizes or otherwise oversees any youth athletic activity or any entity that is authorized or allowed by a municipality, business or nonprofit organization to conduct, coordinate, organize or otherwise oversee any youth athletic activity on property owned or controlled by the municipality, business or nonprofit organization, but shall not include any municipality, business or nonprofit organization solely providing access to, or use of, any field, court or other recreational area,area to such an entity, whether for compensation or not.

Such written or electronic [statement] information and consent form shall be (A) made available upon registration of each youth athlete, (B) substantially similar to the consent form developed or approved by the State Board of Education under subdivision (1) of subsection (e) of section 10-149b, and [shall be] (C)(B) consistent with the most recent information provided by the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding concussions.

(2)[(c) ForNo operator, or designee of such operator, shall be subject to civil liability for failing to make available the schoolwritten yearor commencingelectronic Julystatement regarding concussions pursuant to subsection (b) of this section.] (2) Not later than January 1, 2018, and eachannually school year thereafter, each operator of a youth athletic activity shall obtain the signature of each youth athlete eighteen years of age or older and the signature of thea parent or legal guardian of each youth athlete under the age of eighteen, attesting to the fact that such youth athlete, parent or legal guardian has received a copy of the information and consent form and consents to participate in the athletic activity or authorizes the youth athlete to participate in the athletic activity.

(c) (1)Not Forlater thethan schoolJanuary year commencing July 1, 2018, and eachannually school year thereafter, each operator of a youth athletic activity shall completeensure anthat initialany individual coaching a youth athletic activity completes a training course regarding concussions provided by the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or an entity offering such a course with requirements that isare substantially similar to theor initialmore trainingrigorous than the course developedprovided orby approvedthe underNational subdivisionCenters (1)for ofDisease subsectionControl (b)and ofPrevention, sectionas 10-149b.determined by the operator, prior to permitting such individual to coach a youth athletic activity.

(2)(d) For(1) theAny schoolindividual yearcoaching commencinga Julyyouth 1,athletic 2019,activity andshall eachimmediately schoolremove yeara thereafter,youth anyathlete operatorfrom ofparticipating ain the youth athletic activity who has(A) completedis theobserved initialto trainingexhibit coursesigns, describedsymptoms inor subdivisionbehaviors (1)consistent ofwith thisa subsectionconcussion shallfollowing annuallyan reviewobserved currentor andsuspected relevantblow information regarding concussions that is substantially similar to the annualhead reviewor materialsbody, developed or approved(B) underis subdivisiondiagnosed (2)with ofa subsectionconcussion, (b)regardless of sectionwhen 10-149b.such concussion may have occurred.

SuchUpon annualsuch reviewremoval, the individual coaching the youth athletic activity shall notnotify bethe requiredparent inor anylegal yearguardian whenof any such operatoryouth isathlete requiredunder tothe completeage of eighteen that the refresheryouth course,athlete pursuanthas toexhibited subdivisionsuch (3)signs, ofsymptoms thisor subsection.behaviors consistent with a concussion or has been diagnosed with a concussion.

(3)Such Forindividual theshall schoolprovide yearsuch commencingnotification Julynot 1,later 2023,than andtwenty-four eachhours schoolafter yearsuch thereafter,removal anand operator of a youth athletic activity shall completemake a refresherreasonable courseeffort regarding concussion recognition and safety practices that is substantially similar to theprovide refreshersuch coursenotification developedimmediately or approved under subdivision (3) of subsection (b) of section 10-149b, not later than five years after completionsuch ofremoval. the initial training course required under subdivision (1) of this subsection.

Such(2) operatorThe individual coaching a youth athletic activity shall thereafternot retakepermit a youth athlete who was removed from a youth athletic activity under subdivision (1) of this subsection to participate in any youth athletic activity involving physical exertion, including, but not limited to, practices, games or competitions, until such refresheryouth courseathlete (A) no longer exhibits signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion at leastrest onceor everywith fiveexertion, years.and (B) receives written clearance to participate in such youth athletic activity involving physical exertion from a licensed health care professional trained in the evaluation and management of concussions.

[(c)(e) No]For (d)purposes Theof operator,this orsection, designee"licensed ofhealth suchcare operator,professional" shallmeans bea subjectphysician licensed pursuant to civilchapter liability370, fora failingphysician assistant licensed pursuant to makechapter available370, thean [writtenadvanced orpractice electronicregistered statement]nurse informationlicensed andpursuant consentto formchapter regarding378, concussionsan athletic trainer licensed pursuant to subsectionchapter (b)375a ofor thisa section.chiropractor licensed pursuant to chapter 372.

SectionSubsection (c) of section 10-149c of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2017):

(a) (1) The coach of any intramural or interscholastic athletics shall immediately remove a student athlete from participating in any intramural or interscholastic athletic activity who (A) is observed to exhibit signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion following an observed or suspected blow to the head or body, or (B) is diagnosed with a concussion, regardless of when such concussion may have occurred.

Upon such removal, a qualified school employee, as defined in subsection (e) of section 10-212a, shall notify the student athlete's parent or legal guardian that the student athlete has exhibited such signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion or has been diagnosed with a concussion.

Such qualified school employee shall provide such notification not later than twenty-four hours after such removal and shall make a reasonable effort to provide such notification immediately after such removal.

(2) The coach shall not permit such student athlete to participate in any supervised team activities involving physical exertion, including, but not limited to, practices, games or competitions, until such student athlete receives written clearance to participate in such supervised team activities involving physical exertion from a licensed health care professional trained in the evaluation and management of concussions.

(3) Following clearance pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection, the coach shall not permit such student athlete to participate in any full, unrestricted supervised team activities without limitations on contact or physical exertion, including, but not limited to, practices, games or competitions, until such student athlete (A) no longer exhibits signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion at rest or with exertion, and (B) receives written clearance to participate in such full, unrestricted supervised team activities from a licensed health care professional trained in the evaluation and management of concussions.

(b) The State Board of Education may revoke the coaching permit, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (i) of section 10-145b, of any coach found to be in violation of this section.

2 July 1, 2017 10-149c10-149c(c) Statement of Purpose:Legislative Commissioners:

ToIn protectSection youth1(d), andSubdiv. student athletes from concussions.

[Proposed(3) deletionswas aredeleted enclosedand "(A) no longer exhibits signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion at rest or with exertion, and (B)" was inserted before "receives" in brackets.Subdiv.

Proposed(2) additionsfor areclarity. indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]

PH Joint Favorable Subst.