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:
C.18A:40-41.2a Athletic head injury safety training program revision.
1. Within 180 days of the effective date of P.L.2021, c.222 (C.18A:40-41.2a et al.), 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, six-step “Return to Play Progression” recommendations developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The 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.
C.18A:40-41.3a School district revision of written policy about prevention, treatment of sports-related head injuries.
2. In the 2021-2022 school year, a school district shall revise its written policy concerning the prevention and treatment of sports-related concussions and other head injuries among student-athletes and cheerleaders established pursuant to section 3 of P.L.2010, c.94 (C.18A:40-41.3) to include the graduated, six-step “Return to Play Progression” recommendations developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A 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.
3. Section 4 of P.L.2010, c.94 (C.18A:40-41.4) is amended to read as follows:
C.18A:40-41.4 Removal of student-athlete from competition, practice; return.
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. the student-athlete or cheerleader 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. the student-athlete or cheerleader 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, six-step “Return to Play Progression” recommendations and any subsequent changes or other updates to those recommendations as developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
Approved September 24, 2021.