BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 2127
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ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 2127 (Cooley)
As Amended April 1, 2014
Majority vote
EDUCATION 5-2
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|Ayes:|Buchanan, Gonzalez, | | |
| |Nazarian, Weber, Williams | | |
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|Nays:|Olsen, Ch�vez | | |
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SUMMARY : Makes legislative findings and declarations relating
to head injuries sustained by high school pupil-athletes,
particularly those who play football; prohibits high school and
middle school football teams from conducting more than two
full-contact practices, as defined, per week during the
preseason and regular season, as defined; completely prohibits
full-contact practice during the off-season, as defined; and
prohibits an athlete suspected of having sustained a concussion
from returning to the athletic activity until the athlete has
completed a return-to-play protocol, as specified.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Requires the governing school board of each school district to
have control of and be responsible for all aspects of the
interscholastic athletic policies, programs, and activities in
its district.
2)Permits governing boards of school districts to enter into
associations or consortia with other governing boards for the
purpose of governing regional or statewide interscholastic
athletic programs by permitting the schools under their
jurisdictions to enter into a voluntary association with other
schools for the purpose of enacting and enforcing rules
relating to eligibility for, and participation in,
interscholastic athletic programs among and between schools.
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3) Defines interscholastic athletics as those policies,
programs, and activities that are formulated or executed in
conjunction with, or in contemplation of, athletic contests
between two or more schools, either public or private.
4)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 (HSCETP).
5)Requires a school district that elects to offer an athletic
program to comply with all of the following:
a) Remove an athlete who is suspected of sustaining a
concussion or head injury in an athletic activity from the
activity for the remainder of the day.
b) Prohibit an athlete who is suspected of sustaining a
concussion or head injury in an athletic activity from
returning 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.
c) Prohibit the return of the athlete to the activity until
he or she receives written clearance to return to the
activity from that licensed health care provider.
d) Require, annually, a concussion and head injury
information sheet 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.
6)Exempts an athlete engaging in an athletic activity during the
regular school day, or as part of a physical education course,
from these requirements.
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FISCAL EFFECT : None. This bill is keyed non-fiscal by the
Legislative Counsel.
COMMENTS : In 2011, the National Football League (NFL) limited
the total number of full-contact practices to 14 for the year
with 11 of those practices conducted during the first 11 weeks
of the season (a maximum of one per week), with no full-contact
practices during the off-season. Similarly, 19 states have
banned off-season full-contact high school football practices,
including Texas, which is widely seen as the mecca of high
school football. In instituting such limitations, the NFL and
state Legislatures have cited an effort to reduce exposure to
possible brain trauma from hits to the head. This bill
addresses the repetitive concussive trauma and follows the lead
of the NFL, by limiting the number of full-contact practices in
which a high school football player can participate. In so
doing, this bill seeks to minimize the opportunities for trauma.
Return-To-Play Protocol: The Return-To-Play Protocol, as
described by the United States' Center for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) consists of five "steps" following a complete
physical and the absence of concussion symptoms for a period of
24 hours. The steps progress from light aerobic exercise for
five to ten minutes, to moderate exercise, to non-contact but
more intense exercise, a reintegration into full practice, and
finally a return to play. The CDC emphasizes the need for each
of these steps to be monitored for a return of concussion
symptoms. This bill would prohibit an athlete who is suspected
of sustaining a concussion from returning to the athletic
activity in which he or she suffered the concussion until the
athlete has completed a return-to-play protocol of not less than
seven days in duration. This bill makes no reference to any
particular protocol, but instead urges the CIF to work with the
American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Society
for Sports Medicine to develop and adopt rules and protocols to
implement the protocol.
Analysis Prepared by : Jill Rice / ED. / (916) 319-2087
FN: 0003174
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