§3 - Note
An Act concerning student head injuries and amending P.L.2010, c.94.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 2 of P.L.2010, c.94 (C.18A:40-41.2) is amended to read as follows:
2. a. The Department of Education shall work to develop and implement, by the 2011-2012 school year, an [interscholastic] athletic head injury safety training program. The program shall be completed by a school physician, a person who coaches a public school district or nonpublic school interscholastic sport, intramural sport, or cheerleading program, and an athletic trainer involved in a public or nonpublic school interscholastic sports program, intramural sports program, or cheerleading program. The safety training program shall include, but need not be limited to, the following:
(1) the recognition of the symptoms of head and neck injuries, concussions, and injuries related to second-impact syndrome; and
(2) the appropriate amount of time to delay the return to competition or practice of a student-athlete or cheerleader who has sustained a concussion or other head injury.
b. The department shall update the safety training program as necessary to ensure that it reflects the most current information available on the nature, risk, and treatment of sports-related concussions and other head injuries.
c. The department shall develop an educational fact sheet that provides information about sports-related concussions and other head injuries. A school district or a nonpublic school that participates in an interscholastic sports program, intramural sports program, or cheerleading program shall distribute the educational fact sheet annually to the parents or guardians of student-athletes and cheerleaders and shall obtain a signed acknowledgment of the receipt of the fact sheet by the student-athlete or cheerleader and his parent or guardian.
d. As used in P.L.2010, c.94 (C.18A:40-41.1 et seq.), "student-athlete" means any student enrolled in a public or nonpublic school in this State who is a participant in an interscholastic sports program or intramural sports program organized by the school.
(cf: P.L.2011, c.168, s.1)
2. Section 4 of P.L.2010, c.94 (C.18A:40-41.4) is amended to read as follows:
4. A student who participates in an interscholastic sports program, intramural sports program, or cheerleading program and who sustains or is suspected of having sustained a concussion or other head injury while engaged in a competition or practice shall be immediately removed from the competition or practice. A student-athlete or cheerleader who is removed from competition or practice shall not participate in further sports or cheerleading activity until he is evaluated by a physician or other licensed healthcare provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussions, and receives written clearance from a physician trained in the evaluation and management of concussions to return to competition or practice.
(cf: P.L.2011, c.168, s.3)
3. This act shall take effect on the 90th day after the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
Under current law, the Department of Education was required to develop and implement, by the 2011-2012 school year, a head injury safety training program on the recognition of the symptoms of head injuries and the appropriate amount of time to delay the return to competition of a student who suffers a head injury. The program must be completed by school physicians, coaches, and athletic trainers involved in public or nonpublic school interscholastic sports programs and cheerleading programs. The law also required school districts to develop a written policy concerning the prevention and treatment of sports-related concussions and other head injuries among student-athletes and cheerleaders. Finally, the law provides that students who participate in interscholastic sports programs or cheerleading programs who sustain or are suspected of having sustained a concussion or other head injury while engaged in a sports competition or practice must be immediately removed from the competition or practice and may not return to competition or practice until evaluated and cleared by a physician.
This bill amends the law to provide that students
participating in intramural sports programs organized by the school will be
included in the student-athlete head injury safety program, and that the coaches
of intramural sports programs must also complete the safety training program.
Includes students who participate in school intramural sports programs in the student-athlete head injury safety program.