BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 588
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CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 588 (Fox)
As Amended September 3, 2013
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |70-0 |(May 16, 2013) |SENATE: |39-0 |(September 9, |
| | | | | |2013) |
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Original Committee Reference: ED.
SUMMARY : Applies existing law relating to students who
sustain, or are suspecting of sustaining, a concussion during a
school-sponsored athletic activity to charter schools and
private schools. Specifically, this bill :
1)Makes applicable to private schools existing law that requires
a school district that chooses to offer an athletic program to
immediately remove an athlete who is suspected of sustaining a
concussion or head injury from the activity for the remainder
of the day and prohibits the athlete from returning to the
activity until he or she is cleared by a licensed heath care
provider.
2)Makes applicable to private schools existing law that requires
a school district that chooses to offer an athletic program to
require each athlete and each athlete's parent/guardian to
sign and return a concussion and head injury information sheet
prior to the athlete participating in practice or competition.
The Senate amendments :
1)Remove the requirement that the information sheet distributed
pursuant to this measure, include, at a minimum, information
regarding concussions and their symptoms.
2)Remove the language that specified that the information
included on the information sheet distributed pursuant to this
measure could also be available in a digital format,
including, but not limited to, e-mail or an Internet Web site.
3)Specify that the activities to which this measure is referring
are limited only to athletic activities.
AB 588
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FISCAL EFFECT : This bill is keyed non-fiscal by the
Legislative Counsel; however, according to the Senate
Appropriations Committee this bill has the following potential
costs:
1)Head injury requirements: Potentially significant workload
for charter schools and private schools.
2)Medi-Cal: Potentially significant ongoing state costs, to the
extent that affected students are enrolled in Medi-Cal.
COMMENTS : Concussions have serious immediate and long-term
effects. A concussion is a brain injury caused by a blow to the
head or body or from hitting a hard surface, and in only 10% of
cases is it evident from loss of consciousness.
Under existing law, the California Interscholastic Federation
(CIF) is a voluntary organization consisting of school and
school-related personnel with responsibility for administering
interscholastic athletic activities in secondary schools. CIF
policy ensures student-athletes do not return to practice or
competition until evaluated by a healthcare professional;
however this only covers about one million students between the
ages of 14-18. Existing law already widened the students to
whom this policy applies by including the three million students
between the ages of 6-14 playing non-CIF youth sports in public
schools. This bill extends this policy to those students ages
6-18 participating in non-CIF athletic programs in charter
schools and private schools.
This bill also ensures that all K-12 athletes, whether attending
a private or public school, and their parents are aware of the
signs and symptoms of a concussion in order to prevent further
injury. This increased understanding provides youth
participating in athletics with safeguards against long-term
injuries that result from concussion and head injury, helps
parents advocate for their children when these health issues
arise, and assists parents in managing head injury outside of
school.
Analysis Prepared by : Jill Rice / ED. / (916) 319-2087
AB 588
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