HB 2042 — An Act amending the act of November 9, 2011 (P.L.441, No.101), known as the Safety in Youth Sports Act, further providing for definitions and for the prevention of concussions and traumatic brain injuries.

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26142614, 2854 PRINTER'S NO.

28543205 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE BILL Session of No.

WILLIAMS, GUZMAN, PROBST, WARREN, SHUSTERMAN, MAYES, CIRESI, DOUGHERTYDOUGHERTY, GREEN, BRENNAN AND GREEN,TIBURCIO, NOVEMBER 17, 2025 AS REPORTEDAMENDED FROM COMMITTEE ON HEALTH,SECOND CONSIDERATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, ASAPRIL AMENDED,15, FEBRUARY 3, 2026 AN ACT Amending the act of November 9, 2011 (P.L.411, No.101), entitled "An act establishing standards for managing concussions and duties to the Department of Health and the Department of Education;

(3.1) ANAn OFFICIALofficial RECREATIONALrecreational ATHLETICathletic EVENT.event.

<-- (4) Practices, interschool practices and scrimmages for all of the activities listed under paragraphs (1), (2) [and], <-- (3) ANDand (3.1).

<--* (5)* Organized* leagues,"Official includingrecreational privateathletic leagues,event." thatA <--recreational areathletic notcontest associatedor withcompetition athat schoolmeets entityall orof sponsoredthe byfollowing: interscholastic activities.

(6)(1) AnyInvolves recreational team activity with pre-adult participantsparticipants. outside of an official school activity that is not associated with a school entity or sponsored by interscholastic activities.

*(2) *Is *sponsored "OFFICIALby RECREATIONALor ATHLETICassociated EVENT."with Aa RECREATIONALsponsoring <--organization. ATHLETIC CONTEST OR COMPETITION THAT MEETS ALL OF THE FOLLOWING:

(1)(3) INVOLVESRequires PRE-ADULTpre-adult PARTICIPANTS.participant registration, maintains written rules of play and conducts regular season or tournament style competition.

(2)(4) ISIs SPONSOREDnot BYan ORathletic ASSOCIATEDactivity WITHassociated Awith SPONSORINGa ORGANIZATION.school entity or sponsored by interscholastic activities.

(3)(5) REQUIRESIs PRE-ADULTnot PARTICIPANTan REGISTRATION,incidental MAINTAINSathletic WRITTENcompetition RULESor OFcontest. PLAY AND CONDUCTS REGULAR SEASON OR TOURNAMENT STYLE COMPETITION.

(4)"Pre-adult ISparticipant." NOTAn ANindividual, ATHLETICother ACTIVITYthan ASSOCIATEDa WITHstudent, Aunder SCHOOL18 ENTITYyears ORof SPONSOREDage BYthat INTERSCHOLASTICparticipates ACTIVITIES.in an athletic activity.

20250HB2042PN2854"Return-to-learn." A program developed by the Department of Health, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, to <-- 20250HB2042PN3205 - 2 - (5)build ISa NOTbridge ANconnecting INCIDENTALthe ATHLETICmedical, COMPETITIONrehabilitation, OReducation CONTEST.sectors and families following a student's or pre-adult participant's brain injury.

"Pre-adultThe participant."term Anincludes individual,the OTHERBrainSTEPS THAN A <-- STUDENT,program underor 18a yearssuccessor ofprogram. age that participates in an athletic activity.

"Return-to-learn."* A* program* developed"Sponsoring byorganization." theA Departmentperson ofor Healthorganization tothat buildis ainvolved bridgein connectingsponsoring, theorganizing, medical,scheduling rehabilitation,or educationconducting sectorsgames, andexhibitions, familiesevents followingor acontests student'sfor oran pre-official adultrecreational participant'sathletic brainevent. injury.

The term includes the BrainSTEPS program or a successor program.

* * * "SPONSORING ORGANIZATION." A PERSON OR ORGANIZATION THAT IS <-- INVOLVED IN SPONSORING, ORGANIZING, SCHEDULING OR CONDUCTING GAMES, EXHIBITIONS, EVENTS OR CONTESTS FOR AN OFFICIAL RECREATIONAL ATHLETIC EVENT.

Section 3(a), (b), (c), (d)(d), and, (e) ANDand (G)(g) of <-- the act is amended and the section is amended by adding a subsection <-- to read:

ARE AMENDED AND THE SECTION IS AMENDED BY ADDING <-- SUBSECTIONS TO READ:

(a) Educational materials.--The Department of Health and the Department of Education shall develop and post on their Internet websites guidelines and other relevant materials to inform and educate students ANDand PRE-ADULTpre-adult PARTICIPANTSparticipants participating in or <-- desiring to participate in an athletic activity, their parents and their coaches about the nature and risk of concussion and traumatic brain injury, including the risks associated with continuing to play or practice after a concussion or traumatic brain injury.

In developing the guidelines and materials, the departments shall utilize existing materials developed or approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Prevention, THE <-- DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH OR OTHER NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED BRAIN INJURY ORGANIZATIONS.

[A 20250HB2042PN2854 - 3 - student participating in or desiring] A STUDENTstudent ORor pre-adult <-- participant who participates or desires to participate in an athletic activity and the [student's]student's ORor pre-adultpre- adult participant's <-- parent or guardian shall each [school] year, 20250HB2042PN3205 - 3 - prior to participation [by the student] in an athletic activity, sign and return to the [student'sstudent's school]school ENTITYentity ORor pre-adult <-- participant's sponsoring organization an acknowledgment of receipt and review of a concussion and traumatic brain injury information sheet developed under this subsection.

(b) Informational meeting.--A school entity or sponsoring organization SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION (G.1) may hold an <-- informational meeting prior to the start of each athletic season for STUDENTSstudents ORor pre-adult <-- participants and competitors of all ages [of competitors] regarding concussions and other head injuries, the importance of proper concussion management and how preseason baseline assessments can aid in the evaluation, management and recovery process.

In addition to students, pre-adultpre- adult participants, parents, coaches and other school officials, informational meetings may include physicians, neuropsychologists, athletic trainers and physical therapists.

(c) Removal from play.--A student or pre-adult participant who, as determined by a game official, coach from the student's or pre-adult participant's team, certified[certified] LICENSED athletic <-- trainer, licensed physician, licensed physical therapist or other official designated by the student's school entity or pre-adultpre- adult participant's sponsoring organization, exhibits signs or symptoms of a concussion or traumatic brain injury while participating in an athletic activity shall be removed by the coach from participation at that time.

(d) Return to play.--The coach shall not return a student or 20250HB2042PN2854 - 4 - pre-adult participant to participation until the student or pre- adult participant is evaluated and cleared for return to participation in writing by an appropriate medical professional.

The governing body of a school entity ORor Aa SPONSORINGsponsoring <--20250HB2042PN3205 ORGANIZATION- 4 - organization may designate a specific person or persons, who must be appropriate medical professionals, to provide written clearance for return to participation.

(d.1) Information to be distributeddistributed.--A byschool entity or sponsoring organization must distribute return-to-learn <-- organizations.--A.--Ainformation SCHOOLADOPT ENTITYA ORCONCUSSION sponsoringRETURN-TO-LEARN organizationPROTOCOL, AS <-- mustAPPROVED distributeBY return-to-learnTHE informationDEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, to all students and pre-adultpre- adult participants before the student or pre-adult participant participates in an athletic activity offered by the SCHOOLschool ENTITYentity ORor sponsoring organization.

<-- (e) Training course.--Once each school year, a coach shall complete the concussion management certification training course [offered] approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Federation of State High School Associations or another provider approved by the Department of Health.

* * * [(G)[(g) OTHEROther YOUTHyouth ATHLETICathletic ACTIVITIES.--THEactivities.--The SPONSORSsponsors OFof YOUTHyouth athletic activities not specifically addressed by this act are encouraged to follow the guidance set forth in this act.] (G.1) NOTICE.--A COUNTY, MUNICIPALITY OR MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY <-- ATHLETICTHAT ACTIVITIESOWNS NOTOR SPECIFICALLYLEASES ADDRESSEDA PLAYING FIELD OR RECREATIONAL FACILITY USED BY A SPONSORING ORGANIZATION SUBJECT TO THIS ACTSECTION AREMAY ENCOURAGEDCONDITION OR REQUIRE ANY CONTRACT, AGREEMENT OR MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING TO FOLLOWUSE THE GUIDANCEFIELD SETOR FORTHFACILITY INON THISTHE ACT.]SPONSORING *20250HB2042PN3205 *- *5 Section- 3.ORGANIZATION'S COMPLIANCE WITH THIS SECTION.

A COUNTY, MUNICIPALITY OR MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY MAY ALSO REQUIRE THE SPONSORING ORGANIZATION TO HOLD THE INFORMATIONAL MEETING UNDER SUBSECTION (B) AS A CONDITION OR REQUIREMENT OF A CONTRACT, AGREEMENT OR MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING TO USE THE FIELD OR FACILITY.

* * * Section 3.

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