BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 1449
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Date of Hearing: March 28, 2012
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Julia Brownley, Chair
AB 1449 (Hayashi) - As Introduced: January 5, 2012
SUBJECT : Athletics: concussions and head injuries.
SUMMARY : Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction
(SPI) to develop and make available on the California Department
of Education's (CDE) Internet Web site a concussion and head
injury information sheet that a school district may use to send
to a student athlete's parent or guardian for signature.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Requires a school district to comply with both of the
following if they elect to offer an athletic program:
a) An athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion
or head injury in an athletic activity shall be immediately
removed from the activity, and shall not be permitted to
return to the activity until he or she is evaluated by a
licensed health care provider, trained in the management of
concussions, acting within the scope of his or her
practice; and, the athlete shall not be permitted to return
to the activity until he or she receives written clearance
to return to the activity from a licensed health care
provider.
b) On a yearly basis, a concussion and head injury
information sheet shall be signed and returned by the
athlete and the athlete's parent or guardian prior to the
start of the athlete's season of practice or competition.
(Education Code 49475)
2)Requires each high school sports coach to complete a coaching
education program developed by his or her school district or
the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) that meets the
guidelines set forth by the High School Coaching Education and
Training Program (HSCTP). (Education Code 49032 and Education
Code 35179.1)
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
AB 1449
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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. Current law
requires that an athlete and their parent or guardian sign and
return a concussion and head injury information sheet on a
yearly basis prior to the start of the athletic season. This
bill requires the SPI to create and post this information sheet
on the CDE's Web site.
According to the author, certain school districts do not have a
standardized concussion awareness form available. This bill
resolves this issue by requires the SPI to develop and make
available on its Web site, a concussion awareness form that
schools may use.
Currently, a concussion information sheet is available on the
California Interscholastic Federation's (CIF) Internet Web site.
This information sheet has been adapted from the Center for
Disease Control's concussion information sheet and has been
developed specifically for the use of school districts. It is
currently available in both English and Spanish. Because a
concussion information sheet has already been developed, the
committee should consider whether it is necessary to require the
SPI to develop an alternative information sheet.
By requiring the SPI to develop a concussion information sheet
and post it on its Web site, this bill promotes awareness of the
signs and symptoms of serious head injuries, especially for
young athletes who are more vulnerable to greater injury. This
increased understanding provides youth participating in
athletics with safeguards against long-term injuries that result
from concussion and head injury.
Previous Legislation : AB 25 (Hayashi) Chapter 456, Statutes of
2011, would have required a school district that elects to offer
athletics, to implement a concussion and head injury
identification process.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
American Academy of Pediatrics, California
AB 1449
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Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Chelsea Kelley / ED. / (916) 319-2087