ASSEMBLY, No. 4754

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

218th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED DECEMBER 6, 2018

 


 

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman  VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE

District 37 (Bergen)

Assemblywoman  NANCY J. PINKIN

District 18 (Middlesex)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Requires school districts which participate in Statewide interscholastic sports programs to adopt New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association heat and humidity practice policy.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  


An Act concerning student-athlete safety and supplementing chapter 11 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes. 

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    A school district which is a member of any voluntary association, pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1979, c.172 (C.18A:11-3), which oversees activities associated with Statewide interscholastic sports programs shall:

     a.     Adopt the “Heat and Humidity Practice Policy” required by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association for conducting practice in all sports during times of high heat or humidity. The association’s policy shall address:

     (1)   the scheduling of practice during times of various heat and humidity levels;

     (2)   the ratio of time devoted to workouts to time allotted for rest and hydration during various heat and humidity levels; and

     (3)   the heat and humidity levels at which practice will be canceled.

     The guidelines included in the association’s policy shall provide a default policy to those responsible or sharing duties for making decisions concerning the implementation of modifications or cancellation of practices and contests based on the presence of heat and humidity.

     b.    Purchase a WetBulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) tool to measure the heat stress in direct sunlight at the practice site.  Heat stress consists of temperature, humidity, wind speed, the angle of the sun, and cloud coverage.

     A school district shall adopt the association’s policy concerning the frequency and recording of WetBulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) measurements.

 

     2.    This act shall take effect in the first full school year following enactment.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill requires each school district which is a member of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association to adopt the association’s “Heat and Humidity Practice Policy” for conducting practice in all sports during times of high heat or humidity.  Under the bill, the association’s policy must address:

·         the scheduling of practice during times of various heat and humidity levels;

·         the ratio of time devoted to workouts to time allotted for rest and hydration during various heat and humidity levels; and

·         the heat and humidity levels at which practice will be canceled.

     Under the bill, guidelines included in the association’s policy will provide a default policy to those responsible or sharing duties for making decisions concerning the implementation of modifications or cancellation of practices and contests based on the presence of heat and humidity.

     The bill also requires these school districts to purchase a WetBulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) tool to measure the heat stress in direct sunlight at the practice site. Heat stress consists of temperature, humidity, wind speed, the angle of the sun, and cloud coverage.