BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2007
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB
2007 (McCarty)
As Amended April 26, 2016
Majority vote
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|Committee |Votes|Ayes |Noes |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
|----------------+-----+----------------------+--------------------|
|Arts |5-0 |Chu, Levine, Low, | |
| | |Medina, Nazarian | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY: Would require amateur youth sports organizations to
adopt concussion treatment and recognition protocols similar to
those in existing law for student athletes, as specified. Would
also require youth sports organizations to develop
return-to-play protocols, and provide yearly concussion and head
injury information sheets and education, as specified.
Specifically, this bill:
1)Declares that a youth sports organization that elects to offer
an athletic program shall comply with all the following:
a) An athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion
or other head injury in an athletic activity shall be
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immediately removed from the athletic activity for the
remainder of the day, and shall not be permitted to return
to the athletic activity until he or she is evaluated by a
licensed health care provider.
b) The athlete shall not be permitted to return to the
athletic activity until he or she receives written
clearance to return to the athletic activity from a
licensed health care provider.
c) If the licensed health care provider determines that the
athlete sustained a concussion or other head injury, the
athlete shall also complete a graduated return-to-play
protocol of no less than seven days in duration under the
supervision of a licensed health care provider.
2)Provides that if an athlete who is 17 years of age or younger
has been removed from athletic activity due to a suspected
concussion, the youth sports organization shall notify a
parent or guardian of that athlete of the time and date of the
injury, the symptoms observed, and any treatment provided for
the injury.
3)Requires, on a yearly basis, the youth sports organization
shall give a concussion and head injury information sheet to
each athlete. The information sheet shall be signed and
returned by the athlete and, if the athlete is 17 years of age
or younger, shall also be signed by the athlete's parent or
guardian, before the athlete initiates practice or
competition.
4)Further requires, on a yearly basis, that the youth sports
organization shall give concussion and head injury education
or educational materials or both to each coach and
administrator of the youth sports organization.
5)States that the youth sports organization shall identify both
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of the following:
a) An individual within the youth sports organization who
is responsible for ensuring compliance by the organization
with the requirements for providing concussion and head
injury education contained in paragraph (4).
b) Details of the return-to-play protocol required pursuant
to paragraph (1).
6)Contains the following definitions:
a) "Concussion and head injury education and educational
materials" and a "concussion and head injury education
information sheet" shall at a minimum include information
relating to all of the following:
b) Head injuries and their potential consequences.
c) The signs and symptoms of concussion.
d) Best practices for removal of an athlete from an
athletic activity after a suspected concussion.
e) Steps for returning an athlete to school and athletic
activity after a concussion or head injury.
7)"Licensed health care provider" means a licensed health care
provider who is trained in the evaluation and management of
concussions and is acting within the scope of his or her
practice.
8)"Youth sports organization" means an organization, which may
include, but is not necessarily limited to, a business or
nonprofit entity or a local governmental agency, that sponsors
or conducts amateur athletic competitions, camps, or clubs in
which persons 17 years of age or younger participate.
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9)Declares that this section shall not be construed to prohibit
a youth sports organization, or any other appropriate entity,
from adopting and enforcing rules intended to provide a higher
standard of safety for athletes than the standard established
under this section.
FISCAL EFFECT: None. This bill is keyed non-fiscal by the
Legislative Counsel.
COMMENTS: The author states, "With this legislation I intend to
mitigate the growing problem of injured athletes by creating
awareness of sports-related head injuries and having a proper
protocol for concussion detections, treatment, and
post-concussion management for youth sports leagues." As need
for such protection he points to a 2014 study, wherein the
Boston University School of Medicine found former NFL players
who began playing football before age 12 "demonstrate
significantly greater impairment" than those who started playing
later in life. The bill's sponsors, the California Athletic
Trainers' Association state in their support, "This bill will
help close many loopholes in concussion management at the youth
sports level, and help protect our most vulnerable athletes by
providing similar safeguards that are afforded to high school
and college athletes." The California State Parent Teachers
Association (PTA) draw attention in their letter of support to
the provisions of the bill which "assure that parents are
provided annually with a concussion and head injury information
sheet and that young athletes are removed immediately from an
athletic activity if they are suspected of sustaining a
concussion or other head injury."
Concussions have greater adverse effect on younger athletes:
Studies show that the human brain does not fully develop until a
person's mid-20s. Therefore, young athletes experiencing head
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injuries are at greater risk of long-term brain damage if
injured during the critical stages of brain development. From
2002 to 2012 the number of reported sports-related concussions
among student athletes doubled. This increase in reported
concussions is attributed to various factors, including greater
awareness and recognition of traumatic brain injuries. However,
research also shows that it is likely that self-reported
concussion symptoms are under diagnosed, which may lead athletes
to return to play prematurely.
According to recent research, "Although most (80-90%)
concussions resolve within 7-10 days, the recovery process can
be longer and more complicated in children and adolescents.
Furthermore, younger athletes have a higher risk of severe
symptoms and cognitive decline? Due to the more complex recovery
process in young athletes, they need protection when they are
most vulnerable." (Mukland and Serra, Concussions and Brain
Injuries in Youth Sports, December 2015, Rhode Island Medical
Journal).
In addition, studies show that the risk of a second concussion
if an athlete returns to play too soon is greater for youth,
both in likelihood and severity. "Athletes who return to play
before their concussions have fully resolved may place
themselves at an increased risk for prolonged recovery.
Although very rare, the potential for catastrophic head
injuries, including what is sometimes called 'second impact
syndrome' is the primary concern. While catastrophic head
injury is uncommon, it may occur more frequently in younger
athletes between the ages of 12 to 18 years." (Graham, Rivara,
et al, Sports-Related Concussions in Youth: Improving the
science, changing the culture, 2014, National Academy of
Sciences).
Please see Assembly Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism, and
Internet Media Committee analysis for a full discussion of the
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measure.
Analysis Prepared by:
Dana Mitchell / A.,E.,S.,T., & I.M. / (916)
319-3450
FN: 0002852