ASSEMBLY, No. 679
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
219th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2020 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE
District 37 (Bergen)
Assemblyman RAJ MUKHERJI
District 33 (Hudson)
Assemblywoman MILA M. JASEY
District 27 (Essex and Morris)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman McKeon
SYNOPSIS
Provides that student-athlete who sustains concussion must return to regular school activities prior to return to competition; requires school districts to implement six-step return-to-competition process.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Assembly Education Committee on May 12, 2021, with amendments.
An Act concerning the safety of certain student-athletes and amending and supplementing P.L.2010, c.94.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. (New section) Within 180 days of the effective date of P.L., c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), the Department of Education shall revise the athletic head injury safety training program established pursuant to section 2 of P.L.2010, c.94 (C.18A:40-41.2) to include information on the graduated, 1[five-step] six-step1 “Return to Play Progression” recommendations developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 1The department shall revise the athletic head injury safety program established pursuant to section 2 of P.L.2010, c.94 (C.18A:40-41.2) whenever the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changes or otherwise updates the “Return to Play Progression” recommendations.1
2. (New section) 1[Within 180 days of the effective date of P.L., c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill)] In the 2021-2022 school year1, a school district shall revise its written policy established pursuant to section 3 of P.L.2010, c.94 (C.18A:40-41.3) to include the graduated, 1[five-step] six-step1 “Return to Play Progression” recommendations developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 1A school district shall revise its written policy established pursuant to section 3 of P.L.2010, c.94 (C.18A:40-41.3) whenever the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changes or otherwise updates the “Return to Play Progression” recommendations.1
3. 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:
a. 1[he] the student-athlete or cheerleader1 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; and
b. 1[he] the student-athlete or cheerleader1 returns to regular school activities and is no longer experiencing symptoms of the injury when conducting those activities.
The return of a student-athlete or cheerleader to competition or practice shall be in accordance with the graduated, 1[five-step] six-step1 “Return to Play Progression” recommendations 1and any subsequent changes or other updates to those recommendations as1 developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
(cf: P.L.2017, c.105, s.2)
4. This act shall take effect immediately.