BILL ANALYSIS �
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Alan Lowenthal, Chair
2011-2012 Regular Session
BILL NO: AB 1451
AUTHOR: Hayashi
AMENDED: March 19, 2012
FISCAL COMM: No HEARING DATE: May 16, 2012
URGENCY: No CONSULTANT: Lynn Lorber
SUBJECT : High School Coaching Education and Training Program.
SUMMARY
This bill adds a component regarding the identification of
concussions to the first aid training that high school athletic
coaches are required to complete.
BACKGROUND
Current law:
1) Requires each high school sports coach to complete a
coaching education program developed by the employing
school district or the California Interscholastic
Federation (CIF) that meets the guidelines described in #2
below. (Education Code � 49032)
2) States that it is the intent of the Legislature to
establish the California High School Coaching Education and
Training Program, to be administered by school districts
and emphasize the following components:
a) Development of coaching philosophies consistent
with the goals of the school, school district, and
school district governing board.
b) Sport psychology.
c) Sport pedagogy.
d) Sport physiology including principles of training
and the harmful effects associated with the use of
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steroids.
e) Sport management.
f) Training, specifically certification in CPR and
first aid.
g) Knowledge of and adherence to statewide rules and
regulations, as well as school regulations including
eligibility, gender equity, and discrimination.
h) Sound planning and goal setting. (EC � 35179.1)
3) Requires a school district that elects to offer an athletic
program to comply with both of the following:
a) Immediately remove for the remainder of the day
from athletic activity an athlete who is suspected of
sustaining a concussion or head injury, and prohibit
the pupil from returning to the activity until he or
she is evaluated by a licensed health care provider
who has been trained in the management of concussions.
b) Require, on an annual basis, a concussion and
head injury information sheet to be signed and
returned by the athlete and the athlete's parent
before the athlete's may practice or compete. (EC �
49475)
The CIF's Bylaw 313 requires a student-athlete who is suspected
of sustaining a concussion or head injury in a practice or game
to be removed from competition at that time for the remainder of
the day. A student-athlete who has been removed from play is
prohibited from returning to play until the athlete is evaluated
by a licensed health care provider trained in education and
management of concussion and receives written clearance to
return to play from that health care provider. A Question &
Answer is listed below Bylaw 313, indicating that the scope of
practice for a "licensed health care provider" will limit the
evaluation to a medical doctor or doctor of osteopathy.
ANALYSIS
This bill requires the existing first aid training pursuant to
the High School Coaching Education and Training Program to
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include a basic understanding of the signs and symptoms of
concussions and the appropriate response to concussions.
STAFF COMMENTS
1) Need for the bill . According to the author, "What may
appear to be a minor blow to the head can have serious,
even fatal, consequences. Emerging studies indicate that
high school athletes are at risk of suffering from sleep
disorders, memory loss, mental fatigue, depression or even
suicide as a result of head injuries sustained in sports.
While not all head injuries can be prevented, the effects
can be mitigated by knowing when it is safe to return to
play. Currently, the only mandatory injury-related
training for high school coaches in California is
certification in CPR and first aid. This bill incorporates
concussion-related training into these existing
requirements."
2) Coaches Training : Currently the California Interscholastic
Federation (CIF) offers training programs to high school
coaches who receive a certificate upon course completion
(typically an eight hour class). To date more than 60,000
coaches have taken the training, which costs approximately
$60 per person. Some school districts pay for the program
while others require the coach to pay for it. The
completed certificate is transferable between school
districts. CIF's coaches training program under the High
School Coaching Education and Training Program does not
currently include instruction on concussions. However, CIF
does offer a free online concussion training course for
coaches where the coach receives an immediate printed
certification upon completion.
Some school districts offer training opportunities. Current law
requires coaches training, whether offered by a district,
CIF, or organizations such as the Red Cross, to meet the
criteria of the Coaching Education and Training Program.
Currently, coaches must complete a CPR/first aid course and
renew that training every one to three years, depending on
which entity provides the training. Because this bill
includes training on concussions as part of the CPR/first
aid training requirement, coaches will be required to
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receive updated concussion training every one to three
years as well.
3) Related legislation . AB 1449 (Hayashi) would have required
the Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop and
make available on the California Department of Education's
website 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. AB 1449 was never heard.
4) Prior legislation . AB 1646 (Hayashi, 2010) and AB 533
(Hayashi, 2009) each would have required training for
athletic coaches in the identification of symptoms of head
and neck injury. Both bills were held on the Assembly
Appropriations Committee's suspense file.
AB 1893 (Hayashi, 2010) would have required all high school
spirit activities (HSSA) coaches to have valid
certification in CPR and first aid, including an
understanding of signs, symptoms, and appropriate emergency
action steps regarding potentially catastrophic injury,
including but not limited to, head and neck injury and
concussion. Pupils participating in HSSA who experience or
show signs of trauma or other injury would have been
required to obtain a release from the treating provider
before resuming spirit activities. AB 1893 was never
heard.
SUPPORT
American Academy of Pediatrics
California Association for Health, Physical Education,
Recreation and Dance
California Athletic Trainers Association
California Chapters of the American Red Cross
Los Angeles County Office of Education
OPPOSITION
None on file.
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