Under existing law, a school district, charter school, or private school that elects to offer an athletic program is prohibited from allowing a high school or middle school football team to conduct more than 2 full-contact practices, as defined, per week during the preseason and regular season, as defined, and from conducting a full-contact practice during the off-season.

This bill would express legislative findings and declarations relating to youth football and specifically relating to player safety. The bill, on and after January 1, 2021, would require a youth sports organization, as defined, that conducts a tackle football program, to comply with certain requirements, including, among other things, not conducting more than 2 full-contact practices, as defined, per week during the preseason and regular season, and not holding a full-contact during the off-season.

 THIRD READING  

Bill No: AB 1

Author: Cooper (D)

Amended: 4/10/19 in Assembly

Vote: 21

SENATE HEALTH COMMITTEE: 9-0, 6/26/19

AYES: Pan, Stone, Lena Gonzalez, Grove, Hurtado, Leyva, Mitchell, Monning, Rubio

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 68-0, 5/9/19 - See last page for vote

SUBJECT: Youth athletics: California Youth Football Act

SOURCE: California Youth Football Alliance

DIGEST:

1. This bill enacts the California Youth Football Act, which establishes certain requirements on youth football, including limiting full-contact practices to 30 minutes per day, and no more than two days per week, and requires an emergency medical technician or higher-level medical professional to be present during all games, and one independent non-rostered individual to be present at all practice locations with the authority to evaluate and remove any youth tackle football participant from practice who exhibits an injury.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Requires a school district, charter school, or private school to comply with the following requirements if it offers a football program:
   1. Prohibits a high school or middle school football team from conducting more than two full-contact practices per week during the preseason and regular season (defines “full-contact practice” as a practice where drills or live action is conducted that involves collisions at game speed);
   2. Limits the full-contact portion of a practice from exceeding 90 minutes in any single day; and,
   3. Prohibits a high school or middle school football team from holding a full-contact practice during the off-season. [EDC §35179.5]
2. Requires a youth sports organization, as defined, to comply with certain requirements related to athletes suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury, including removal from the athletic activity and a prohibition on returning until he or she is evaluated by a licensed health care provider. Requires youth sports organizations to give a concussion and head injury information sheet to each athlete. [HSC §124235]
3. Requires a school district, charter school, or private school that offers an athletic program to comply with concussion and head injury requirements similar to those applying to youth sports organizations described in 2) above. [EDC §49475]
4. Requires a youth sports organization to offer concussion and head injury education, or related educational materials, to each coach and administrator of the youth sports organization, and requires each coach and administrator to successfully complete this education at least once, either online or in person, before supervising an athlete. [HSC §124235(a)(5)]
5. Requires a youth sports organization to annually give the Opioid Factsheet for Patients published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to each athlete. [HSC §124236]
6. Defines “Emergency Medical Technician” or “EMT” as an individual trained in all facets of basic life support, as specified. Defines “Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic” as an individual whose scope of practice includes the ability to provide advanced life support, as specified, including administering specified medications. [HSC §1787.80, §1797.84]

This bill:

1. Enacts the California Youth Football Act, with all provisions taking effect on and after January 1, 2021.
2. Defines the following terms for purposes of this bill:
   1. “Coach” means a person appointed by a youth sports organization to supervise or instruct a participant in the sport of youth tackle football;
   2. “Full-contact portion” of practice means the period of time in drills or live action that involves contact at game speed;
   3. “Full-contact practice” means a session where or more drills or live action is conducted that involves contact at game speed, as in an actual tackle football game or scrimmage. Specifies that this includes simulations or drills that involve any number of players;
   4. “Heat-related illness” includes, but is not necessarily limited to, heat cramps, heat syncope, heat exhauster, and exertional heat stroke;
   5. “Off-season” means a period extending from the end of the regular season until 30 days before the commencement of the next regular season;
   6. “Play” includes participation in a youth tackle football game, scrimmage, or practice;
   7. “Preseason” means a period of 30 days before the commencement of the regular season;
   8. “Regular season” means the period from the first league football game or scrimmage until the completion of the final football game of that season;
   9. “Safety equipment” includes, but is not necessarily limited to, all of the following: a helmet, including a face mask and mouthguard; hip, knee, and shoulder pads; a jersey; a tailbone protector; pants and thigh guards; and shoes, including cleats;
   10. “Youth sports organization” means an organization, business, or nonprofit entity that sponsors or conducts amateur sports competition, training, camps, clinics, practices, or clubs; and,
   11. “Youth tackle football league” means an organization that groups together youth sports organizations that conduct youth tackle football, administers rules, and sets game schedules, which may or may not be associated with a national organization.
3. Prohibits a youth tackle football team from conducting more than two full-contact practices per week during the preseason and regular season.
4. Prohibits a youth tackle football team from holding a full-contact practice during the off-season.
5. Limits the full-contact portion of a youth football team practice from exceeding 30 minutes in any single day.
6. Requires a youth football team coach to annually receive a tackling and blocking certification from a nationally recognized program that emphasizes shoulder tackling, safe contact and blocking drills, and techniques designed to minimize the risk during contact by removing the involvement of a participant’s head from all tackling and blocking techniques.
7. Requires each youth tackle football administrator, coach, and referee to annually complete all of the following:
   1. The concussion and head injury education required under existing law for coaches and administrators of a youth sports organization;
   2. The Opioid Factsheet for Patients that existing law requires to be given to each athlete in a youth sports organization; and,
   3. Training in the basic understanding of the signs, symptoms, and appropriate responses to heat-related illness.
8. Requires each parent or guardian of a youth tackle football participant to receive the concussion and head injury information for that athlete pursuant and the Opioid Factsheet for Patients, as required under existing law.
9. Requires each football helmet to be reconditioned and recertified every other year, unless stated otherwise by the manufacturer. Restricts the entities who can perform the reconditioning and recertification to only those entities licensed by the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment. Requires every reconditioned and recertified helmet to display a mark or notice in the helmet indicating the month and year of the last certification.
10. Requires a minimum of one state-licensed EMT, paramedic, or higher-level licensed medical professional to be present during all preseason, regular season, and postseason games. Requires the EMT, paramedic, or higher-level licensed medical professional to have the authority to evaluate and remove any participant from the game who exhibits an injury, including, but not necessarily limited to, symptoms of a concussion or other head injury.
11. Requires a coach to annually receive first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and automated external defibrillator (AED) certification.
12. Requires at least one independent nonrostered individual, appointed by the youth sports organization, to be present at all practice locations. Requires the individual to hold current and active certification in first aid, CPR, AED, and concussion protocols. Requires the individual to have the authority to remove any youth tackle football participant from practice who exhibits an injury, including, but not limited to, symptoms of concussion or other head injury.
13. Requires safety equipment to be inspected before every full-contact practice or game to ensure that all youth tackle football participants are properly equipped.
14. Requires every youth tackle football participant removed from a game or practice to comply with provisions of law requiring a parent or guardian to be notified, and that require written clearance from a licensed health care provider to return to athletic activity. Requires the injury to be reported to the youth tackle football league.
15. Requires each youth tackle football participant to complete a minimum of ten hours of noncontact practice at the beginning of each season for the purpose of conditioning, acclimating to safety equipment, and progressing to the introduction of full-contact practice. Prohibits youth tackle participants from wearing any pads, and to only wear helmets if required to do so by the coaches, during this noncontact practice.
16. Requires a youth sports organization to annually provide a declaration to its youth tackle football league stating that it is in compliance with this bill, and to either post the declaration on its Internet Web site or provide the declaration to all youth tackle football participants within its youth sports organization.
17. Requires a youth tackle football league, on and after January 1, 2021, to establish youth tackle football participant divisions that are organized by relative age or weight or by both age and weight.
18. Requires a youth tackle football league, on and after January 1, 2021, to retain information, from which the names of individual are not identified, for the tracking of youth sports injuries. Requires this information to include the type of injury, the medical treatment received by the participant, and return to play protocols followed by the participant pursuant to this bill.
19. Prohibits anything in this bill from prohibiting any youth sports organization or youth tackle football league from adopting and enforcing rules intended to provide a higher standard of safety for youth tackle football participants than the requirements established by this bill.

Comments

1. Author’s statement. According to the author, this bill enacts safety standards for youth tackle football consistent with the safety standards at the high school football level. This bill limits “game speed contact” during youth tackle football practices and implements the most stringent and comprehensive set of safety standards in the country for youth tackle football. It defines additional requirements to create the best possible environment for the sport based on previous legislation, current best practices, and medical research. Specifically, this bill requires concussion education, coach training, injury tracking, independent observation of practice, and medical personnel at games for all youth tackle football leagues. Americans love football and kids love playing football. However, we must ensure our children are safe while playing contact sports. This bill will ensure kids will be able to play football as well as creating a safer environment for them when they partake in contact sports.
2. Policy statement on youth tackling by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). In November of 2015, the AAP published a policy statement, entitled Tackling in Youth Football. According to the AAP, there are approximately 250,000 youth football players five to 15 years of age in Pop Warner leagues alone, and that the injuries sustained during football, especially to the head and neck, have been a topic of intense interest. More recently, AAP states that the cumulative effects of concussions and the potential for a cumulative effect of subconcussive blows to the head, have been hypothesized as a causative risk factor for chronic traumatic encephalopathy. The recognition of these injuries and the potential for long term consequences have led some physicians to call for a reduction in the number of contact practices, a postponement of tackling until a certain age, and even a ban on high school football. According to AAP, the most commonly injured body parts in football at all ages are the knee, ankle, hand, and back. The head and neck sustain a relatively small proportion of overall injuries, ranging from 5% to 13%. AAP states that available data suggest that both the overall incidence and the severity of injuries sustained by younger football players are lower than those sustained by older players, though this finding is not universally consistent. Tackling is the most common player activity at the time of injury, and at the time of severe injury. AAP points at that delaying the age at which tackling is introduced to the game would likely decrease the risk of injuries for the age levels at which tackling would be prohibited. Once tackling is introduced, however, AAP states that athletes who have no previous experience with tackling would be exposed to collisions for the first time at an age at which speeds are faster, collision forces are greater, and injury risk is higher. AAP states that removing tackling from football altogether would likely lead to a decrease in the incidence of overall injuries, but recognizes that it would lead to a fundamental change in the way the game is played. According to AAP, participants in football must decide whether the health risks of sustaining these injuries are outweighed by the recreational benefits associated with proper tackling.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No Local: No

SUPPORT: (Verified 7/1/19)

California Youth Football Alliance (source)

Agency for Student Health Research

American Youth Football

Auto Club Famoso

California Chiropractic Association

California Coaches Association

California State Parent Teachers Association

California Youth Football Alliance Medical Advisory Committee

City of Bakersfield Chief of Police

Golden Empire Youth Football League

Highlanders Rugby

Kern County Shrine Club

Light Helmets

Los Altos High School Football

Marin Highlanders

National Center for Sports Safety

Peninsula Pop Warner Football and Cheer

Rugby NorCal

Southern California Football Coaches Association

Southern Marin Youth Football and Cheer

Veritas Sports Injury Research Network

Several individuals

OPPOSITION: (Verified 7/1/19)

None received

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: This bill is sponsored by the California Youth Football Alliance (CYFA), which states that this bill builds on the efforts of the Legislature to improve the level of safety in the game of tackle football by proposing a set of tackle football safety standards, tailored for our youth community in California, backed by pioneering new practices that enhance current local and national level requirements. The CYFA states that, among other provisions, this bill limits full contact practice to 30 minutes, twice a week, which exceeds all previous youth football guidelines in the nation. The Golden Empire Youth Football League states in support that by mandating a minimum of EMT attendance at every youth tackle football game and limiting game speed contact during practices, this bill codifies existing best safety practices in California youth football while offering new leading procedures such as injury reporting and tracking. The California State Parent Teachers Association supports this bill to protect the brains and bodies of young football players by limiting the pre-season and weekly number of full contact football practices. The California Chiropractic Association states in support that requiring concussion education, coach training, injury tracking, independent observation of practice, and medical personnel at games, we are ensuring and creating the best possible environment for youth tackle football. The National Center for Sports Safety states in support that coaches and parents associated with youth football leagues want to do what is right and best for their players and kids, and armed with the proper education and procedures, will do the things necessary to keep the game safer for the players. Veritas Sports Injury Research Network states in support that not only is there no science to support that kids who play football will get brain damage, the sport has changed drastically, and no other sport has made a more radical transformation in response to safety concerns.

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 68-0, 5/9/19

AYES: Aguiar-Curry, Bauer-Kahan, Berman, Bigelow, Bloom, Boerner Horvath, Bonta, Burke, Calderon, Carrillo, Cervantes, Chau, Chiu, Choi, Chu, Cooley, Cooper, Cunningham, Daly, Diep, Flora, Fong, Frazier, Friedman, Gabriel, Gallagher, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Gipson, Gloria, Grayson, Holden, Irwin, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Kamlager-Dove, Lackey, Levine, Limón, Low, Maienschein, Mathis, Mayes, Medina, Mullin, Muratsuchi, Nazarian, O'Donnell, Petrie-Norris, Quirk, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Reyes, Luz Rivas, Robert Rivas, Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Salas, Santiago, Smith, Mark Stone, Ting, Voepel, Waldron, Weber, Wicks, Wood, Rendon

NO VOTE RECORDED: Arambula, Brough, Chen, Dahle, Eggman, Gonzalez, Gray, Kiley, McCarty, Melendez, Obernolte, Patterson

Prepared by: Vincent D. Marchand / HEALTH / (916) 651-4111

7/5/19 8:55:56

**** END ****

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH

Senator Dr. Richard Pan, Chair

BILL NO: AB 1

SUBJECT: Youth athletics: California Youth Football Act

SUMMARY:

1. Enacts the California Youth Football Act, which establishes certain requirements on youth football, including limiting full-contact practices to 30 minutes per day, and no more than two days per week, requires an emergency medical technician or higher-level medical professional to be present during all games, and one independent non-rostered individual to be present at all practice locations with the authority to evaluate and remove any youth tackle football participant from practice who exhibits an injury.

Existing law:

1. Requires a school district, charter school, or private school to comply with the following requirements if it offers a football program:
   1. Prohibits a high school or middle school football team from conducting more than two full-contact practices per week during the preseason and regular season (defines “full-contact practice” as a practice where drills or live action is conducted that involves collisions at game speed);
   2. Limits the full-contact portion of a practice from exceeding 90 minutes in any single day; and,
   3. Prohibits a high school or middle school football team from holding a full-contact practice during the off-season. [EDC §35179.5]
2. Requires a youth sports organization, as defined, to comply with certain requirements related to athletes suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury, including removal from the athletic activity and a prohibition on returning until he or she is evaluated by a licensed health care provider. Requires youth sports organizations to give a concussion and head injury information sheet to each athlete. [HSC §124235]
3. Requires a school district, charter school, or private school that offers an athletic program to comply with concussion and head injury requirements similar to those applying to youth sports organizations described in 2) above. [EDC §49475]
4. Requires a youth sports organization to offer concussion and head injury education, or related educational materials, to each coach and administrator of the youth sports organization, and requires each coach and administrator to successfully complete this education at least once, either online or in person, before supervising an athlete. [HSC §124235(a)(5)]
5. Requires a youth sports organization to annually give the Opioid Factsheet for Patients published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to each athlete. [HSC §124236]
6. Defines "Emergency Medical Technician" or "EMT" as an individual trained in all facets of basic life support, as specified. Defines "Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic" as an individual whose scope of practice includes the ability to provide advanced life support, as specified, including administering specified medications. [HSC §1787.80, §1797.84]

This bill:

1. Enacts the California Youth Football Act, with all provisions taking effect on and after January 1, 2021.
2. Defines the following terms for purposes of this bill:
   1. “Coach” means a person appointed by a youth sports organization to supervise or instruct a participant in the sport of youth tackle football;
   2. “Full-contact portion” of practice means the period of time in drills or live action that involves contact at game speed;
   3. “Full-contact practice” means a session where or more drills or live action is conducted that involves contact at game speed, as in an actual tackle football game or scrimmage. Specifies that this includes simulations or drills that involve any number of players;
   4. “Heat-related illness” includes, but is not necessarily limited to, heat cramps, heat syncope, heat exhauster, and exertional heat stroke;
   5. “Off-season” means a period extending from the end of the regular season until 30 days before the commencement of the next regular season;
   6. “Play” includes participation in a youth tackle football game, scrimmage, or practice;
   7. “Preseason means a period of 30 days before the commencement of the regular season;
   8. “Regular season” means the period from the first league football game or scrimmage until the completion of the final football game of that season;
   9. “Safety equipment” includes, but is not necessarily limited to, all of the following: a helmet, including a face mask and mouthguard; hip, knee, and shoulder pads; a jersey; a tailbone protector; pants and thigh guards; and shoes, including cleats;
   10. “Youth sports organization means an organization, business, or nonprofit entity that sponsors or conducts amateur sports competition, training, camps, clinics, practices, or clubs; and,
   11. Youth tackle football league” means an organization that groups together youth sports organizations that conduct youth tackle football, administers rules, and sets game schedules, which may or may not be associated with a national organization.
3. Prohibits a youth tackle football team from conducting more than two full-contact practices per week during the preseason and regular season.
4. Prohibits a youth tackle football team from holding a full-contact practice during the off-season.
5. Limits the full-contact portion of a youth football team practice from exceeding 30 minutes in any single day.
6. Requires a youth football team coach to annually receive a tackling and blocking certification from a nationally recognized program that emphasizes shoulder tackling, safe contact and blocking drills, and techniques designed to minimize the risk during contact by removing the involvement of a participant’s head from all tackling and blocking techniques.
7. Requires each youth tackle football administrator, coach, and referee to annually complete all of the following:
   1. The concussion and head injury education required under existing law for coaches and administrators of a youth sports organization;
   2. The Opioid Factsheet for Patients that existing law requires to be given to each athlete in a youth sports organization; and,
   3. Training in the basic understanding of the signs, symptoms, and appropriate responses to heat-related illness.
8. Requires each parent or guardian of a youth tackle football participant to receive the concussion and head injury information for that athlete pursuant and the Opioid Factsheet for Patients, as required under existing law.
9. Requires each football helmet to be reconditioned and recertified every other year, unless stated otherwise by the manufacturer. Restricts the entities who can perform the reconditioning and recertification to only those entities licensed by the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment. Requires every reconditioned and recertified helmet to display a clearly recognizable mark or notice in the helmet indicating the month and year of the last certification.
10. Requires a minimum of one state-licensed EMT, paramedic, or higher-level licensed medical professional to be present during all preseason, regular season, and postseason games. Requires the EMT, paramedic, or higher-level licensed medical professional to have the authority to evaluate and remove any participant from the game who exhibits an injury, including, but not necessarily limited to, symptoms of a concussion or other head injury.
11. Requires a coach to annually receive first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and automated external defibrillator (AED) certification.
12. Requires at least one independent nonrostered individual, appointed by the youth sports organization, to be present at all practice locations. Requires the individual to hold current and active certification in first aid, CPR, AED, and concussion protocols. Requires the individual to have the authority to evaluate and remove any youth tackle football participant from practice who exhibits an injury, including, but not limited to, symptoms of concussion or other head injury.
13. Requires safety equipment to be inspected before every full-contact practice or game to ensure that all youth tackle football participants are properly equipped.
14. Requires every youth tackle football participant removed from a game or practice to comply with provisions of law requiring a parent or guardian to be notified, and that require written clearance from a licensed health care provider to return to athletic activity. Requires the injury to be reported to the youth tackle football league.
15. Requires each youth tackle football participant to complete a minimum of ten hours of noncontact practice at the beginning of each season for the purpose of conditioning, acclimating to safety equipment, and progressing to the introduction of full-contact practice. Prohibits youth tackle participants from wearing any pads, and to only wear helmets if required to do so by the coaches, during this noncontact practice.
16. Requires a youth sports organization to annually provide a declaration to its youth tackle football league stating that it is in compliance with this bill, and to either post the declaration on its internet website or provide the declaration to all youth tackle football participants within its youth sports organization.
17. Requires a youth tackle football league, on and after January 1, 2021, to establish youth tackle football participant divisions that are organized by relative age or weight or by both age and weight.
18. Requires a youth tackle football league, on and after January 1, 2021, to retain information, from which the names of individual are not identified, for the tracking of youth sports injuries. Requires this information to include the type of injury, the medical treatment received by the youth tackle football participant, and return to play protocols followed by the participant pursuant to this bill.
19. Prohibits anything in this bill from prohibiting any youth sports organization or youth tackle football league from adopting and enforcing rules intended to provide a higher standard of safety for youth tackle football participants than the requirements established by this bill.
20. Makes a number of legislative findings and declarations, including that youth football’s highest priority is the safety and well-being of its participants, and that California children must have the right to be protected with safe youth football standards and practices empowering parents to make informed choices regarding the elected activities of their children; that the awareness of the possible injury risks associated with football are now widely known and accepted by parents; and that the decision to play youth football ultimately rests with the parent.

FISCAL EFFECT:

This bill is keyed nonfiscal.

PRIOR VOTES:

COMMENTS:

1. Author’s statement. According to the author, this bill enacts safety standards for youth tackle football consistent with the safety standards at the high school football level. This bill limits “game speed contact” during youth tackle football practices and implements the most stringent and comprehensive set of safety standards in the country for youth tackle football. It defines additional requirements to create the best possible environment for the sport based on previous legislation, current best practices, and medical research. Specifically, this bill requires concussion education, coach training, injury tracking, independent observation of practice, and medical personnel at games for all youth tackle football leagues. Americans love football and kids love playing football. However, we must ensure our children are safe while playing contact sports. This bill will ensure kids will be able to play football as well as creating a safer environment for them when they partake in contact sports.
2. Policy statement on youth tackling by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). In November of 2015, the AAP published a policy statement, entitled Tackling in Youth Football. According to the AAP, there are approximately 250,000 youth football players five to 15 years of age in Pop Warner leagues alone, and that the injuries sustained during football, especially to the head and neck, have been a topic of intense interest. More recently, AAP states that the cumulative effects of concussions and the potential for a cumulative effect of subconcussive blows to the head, have been hypothesized as a causative risk factor for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The recognition of these injuries and the potential for long term consequences have led some physicians to call for a reduction in the number of contact practices, a postponement of tackling until a certain age, and even a ban on high school football. According to AAP, the most commonly injured body parts in football at all ages are the knee, ankle, hand, and back. The head and neck sustain a relatively small proportion of overall injuries, ranging from 5% to 13%. AAP states that available data suggest that both the overall incidence and the severity of injuries sustained by younger football players are lower than those sustained by older players, though this finding is not universally consistent. Tackling is the most common player activity at the time of injury, and at the time of severe injury. AAP points at that delaying the age at which tackling is introduced to the game would likely decrease the risk of injuries for the age levels at which tackling would be prohibited. Once tackling is introduced, however, AAP states that athletes who have no previous experience with tackling would be exposed to collisions for the first time at an age at which speeds are faster, collision forces are greater, and injury risk is higher. AAP states that removing tackling from football altogether would likely lead to a decrease in the incidence of overall injuries, but it recognizes that the remove of tackling from football would lead to a fundamental change in the way the game is played. According to AAP, participants in football must decide whether the potential health risks of sustaining these injuries are outweighed by the recreational benefits associated with proper tackling.
3. Concussions and brain injuries in youth sports. One study published in December 2015 in the Rhode Island Medical Journal, provided by the author, indicates that about 1.6-3.8 million sports-related concussions occur every year. Symptoms may appear mild but the injury can lead to life-long problems with physical function, concentration, memory, behavior, and emotional issues. Most concussions resolve within seven to 10 days but the recovery process can be longer and more complicated in children and adolescents. Athletes with concussions are vulnerable to the second-impact syndrome where ongoing symptoms lead to another injury. Young athletes experience a complex recovery process after concussions. Recurrent concussions are especially destructive to the brain and are more likely during the first ten days after a concussion. It is recommended waiting at least seven days until return to play. The article indicates that education does reduce injuries. Among three groupings of coaches with none to varying levels of education about concussions, concussions in youth football players were lower in the group with the highest level injury prevention education compared to the non-educated cohort.
4. Prior legislation. AB 2108 (McCarty of 2018) would have prohibited anyone under the age of 12 from playing tackle football with a youth sports organization. AB 2108 was not heard in the Assembly Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism, and Internet Media Committee.
   
   AB 2007 (McCarty, Chapter 516, Statutes of 2016) establishes requirements for youth sports organizations to remove an athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or other head injury until he or she is evaluated and cleared by a licensed health care provider.
   
   AB 2127 (Cooley, Chapter 165, Statutes of 2014) limits full-contact football practices and requires a student-athlete who has suffered a concussion or head injury to complete a graduated return-to-play protocol of at least seven days, as specified.

AB 1451 (Hayashi, Chapter 173, Statutes of 2012) includes a basic understanding of the signs and symptoms of concussions and the appropriate response to concussions within the High School Coaching Education and Training Program, administered by school districts.

AB 25 (Hayashi, Chapter 465, Statutes of 2011) requires a school district that elects to offer athletic programs to immediately remove an athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury during that activity; prohibits the return of the athlete to that activity until he or she is evaluated by, and receives written clearance from, a licensed health care provider; requires, on a yearly basis, a concussion and head injury information sheet to be signed and returned by the athlete and the athlete’s parent or guardian before the athlete’s initiating practice or competition.

1. Support. This bill is sponsored by the California Youth Football Alliance (CYFA), which states that this bill builds on the efforts of the Legislature to improve the level of safety in the game of tackle football by proposing a set of tackle football safety standards, tailored for our youth community in California, backed by pioneering new practices that enhance current local and national level requirements. The CYFA states that, among other provisions, this bill limits full contact practice to 30 minutes, twice a week, which exceeds all previous youth football guidelines in the nation. The Golden Empire Youth Football League states in support that by mandating a minimum of EMT attendance at every youth tackle football game and limiting game speed contact during practices, this bill codifies existing best safety practices in California youth football while offering new leading procedures such as injury reporting and tracking. The California State Parent Teachers Association supports this bill to protect the brains and bodies of young football players by limiting the pre-season and weekly number of full contact football practices. The California Chiropractic Association states in support that requiring concussion education, coach training, injury tracking, independent observation of practice, and medical personnel at games, we are ensuring and creating the best possible environment for youth tackle football. The National Center for Sports Safety states in support that coaches and parents associated with youth football leagues want to do what is right and best for their players and kids, and armed with the proper education and procedures, will do the things necessary to keep the game safer for the players. Veritas Sports Injury Research Network states in support that not only is there no science to support that kids who play football will get brain damage, the sport has changed drastically, and no other sport has made a more radical transformation in response to safety concerns.

SUPPORT AND OPPOSITION:

Support: California Youth Football Alliance (sponsor)

Agency for Student Health Research

American Youth Football

Auto Club Famoso
California Coaches Association

California Chiropractic Association

California Professional Firefighters

California State Parent Teachers Association
California Youth Football Alliance Medical Advisory Committee

City of Bakersfield Chief of Police

Golden Empire Youth Football League

Highlanders Rugby

Kern County Shrine Club
Light Helmets

Los Altos High School Football

Marin Highlanders
National Center for Sports Safety

Peninsula Pop Warner Football and Cheer
Southern California Football Coaches Association
Southern Marin Youth Football and Cheer

Rugby NorCal

Veritas Sports Injury Research Network

Several individuals

Oppose: None received

-- END --

ASSEMBLY THIRD READING

ATR Bill Id:AB 1

Author:(Cooper)

As Amended Ver:April 10, 2019

Majority vote

SUMMARY:

Beginning January 1, 2021, establishes a comprehensive safety scheme for youth tackle football.

Major Provisions

1. Provides that, on and after January 1, 2021, a youth sports organization that conducts a tackle football program shall comply with all of the following requirements.
2. Establish youth tackle football participant divisions that are organized by relative age or weight or by both age and weight.
3. Provides that a tackle football team shall not conduct more than two 30 minute full-contact practices per week during the preseason and regular season or hold a full-contact practice during the off-season.
4. Declares that each youth tackle football participant shall complete a minimum of 10 hours of noncontact practice at the beginning of each season for the purpose of conditioning, acclimating to safety equipment, and progressing to the introduction of full-contact practice.
5. Requires a coach to annually receive a tackling and blocking certification from a nationally recognized program, as specified, and first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and automated external defibrillator certification.
6. Further requires that each youth tackle football administrator, coach, and referee shall annually complete health and safety training as specified.
7. States that each parent or guardian of a youth tackle football participant shall receive concussion head injury information and the Opioid Factsheet for Patients, as provided.
8. Requires a minimum of one state-licensed emergency medical technician, paramedic, or higher-level licensed medical professional to be present during all games.
9. Requires at least one independent non-rostered individual, appointed by the youth sports organization, shall be present at all practice locations who holds current and active certification in first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, automated external defibrillator, and concussion protocols.
10. States that safety equipment shall be inspected before every full-contact practice or game to ensure that all youth tackle football participants are properly equipped.
11. Requires each football helmet to be reconditioned and recertified every other year, unless stated otherwise by the manufacturer, as specified.
12. Contains definitions of relevant terms.
13. Makes various findings and declarations.

COMMENTS:

Please see the policy committee analysis for a full discussion of the measure.

According to the Author:

"Across the nation, over 2.5 million players, coaches, cheerleaders, and parent volunteers participate in youth football. Youth football promotes the values of teamwork, self-discipline, diversity, academics, nutrition, and leadership and promotes an active lifestyle. Football is one of the Nation's and California's most popular sports, and the health and safety of the players is and should continue to be youth football's top priority. A variety of scholarly journals and medical research have studied and support the benefits of youth tackle football… AB 1 defines additional requirements to create the best possible environment for youth tackle football based on previous legislation, current best practices, and medical research. This bill limits contact and requires concussion education, coach training, injury tracking, independent observation of practice, and medical personnel at games for all youth tackle football leagues and teams with a self-governing approach. Americans love football and kids love playing football. However, we must ensure our children are safe while playing contact sports. I am proud to author AB 1 the California Youth Football Act to ensure kids will be able to play football in a safer environment."

Arguments in Support:

California Youth Football Alliance (CAYFA), sponsors of this bill write in support saying "We are confident that AB-1 proposes ground-breaking legislation for our country that creates the opportunity to unify the youth football community and create meaningful behavior change. AB-1 is written with the intention to accelerate the evolution of youth tackle football in a medically informed manner. We are calling all stakeholders - including players, parents, coaches, league representatives, medical experts, and legislators - together, to provide the safest possible environment for our youth and continue the long tradition of youth tackle football in California."

Arguments in Opposition:

There is no opposition on file.

FISCAL COMMENTS:

This bill has been keyed non-fiscal by the Legislative Counsel.

VOTES:

ASM ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT, SPORTS, TOURISM, AND INTERNET MEDIA: 6-0-1

YES: Chu, Diep, Chiu, Choi, Friedman, Nazarian

ABS, ABST OR NV: Kamlager-Dove

UPDATED:

VERSION: April 10, 2019

CONSULTANT: Dana Mitchell / A.,E.,S.,T., & I.M. / (916) 319-3450 FN: 0000334

Date of Hearing: May 1, 2019

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT, SPORTS, TOURISM, AND INTERNET MEDIA

Kansen Chu, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 1 (

Author:Cooper) – As Amended Ver:April 10, 2019

SUBJECT: Youth athletics: California Youth Football Act.

SUMMARY: Beginning January 1, 2021, establishes a comprehensive safety scheme for youth tackle football. Specifically, this bill:

1. Provides that, on and after January 1, 2021, a youth sports organization that conducts a tackle football program shall comply with all of the following requirements.
2. Establish youth tackle football participant divisions that are organized by relative age or weight or by both age and weight.
3. Provides that a tackle football team shall not conduct more than two full-contact practices per week during the preseason and regular season or hold a full-contact practice during the off-season.
4. Limits the full-contact portion of a practice to not exceed 30 minutes in any single day.
5. Declares that each youth tackle football participant shall complete a minimum of 10 hours of noncontact practice at the beginning of each season for the purpose of conditioning, acclimating to safety equipment, and progressing to the introduction of full-contact practice.

States that during this noncontact practice, the youth tackle football participants shall not wear any pads, and shall only wear helmets if required to do so by the coaches

1. Requires a coach to annually receive a tackling and blocking certification from a nationally recognized program, as specified, and first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and automated external defibrillator certification.
2. Further requires that each youth tackle football administrator, coach, and referee shall annually complete all of the following:
   1. The concussion and head injury education, as specified.
   2. The Opioid Factsheet for Patients, as specified.
   3. Training in heat-related illness prevention and treatment, as specified.
3. States that each parent or guardian of a youth tackle football participant shall receive concussion head injury information and the Opioid Factsheet for Patients, as provided.
4. Requires a minimum of one state-licensed emergency medical technician, paramedic, or higher-level licensed medical professional to be present during all games.
5. Provides that the medical professional shall have the authority to evaluate and remove any youth tackle football participant from the game who exhibits an injury, including, but not necessarily limited to, symptoms of a concussion or other head injury.
6. Requires least one independent non-rostered individual, appointed by the youth sports organization, shall be present at all practice locations.

The individual shall hold current and active certification in first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, automated external defibrillator, and concussion protocols.

The individual shall have the authority to evaluate and remove any youth tackle football participant from practice who exhibits an injury, including, but not limited to, symptoms of a concussion or other head injury.

1. States that safety equipment shall be inspected before every full-contact practice or game to ensure that all youth tackle football participants are properly equipped.
2. Requires each football helmet to be reconditioned and recertified every other year, unless stated otherwise by the manufacturer, as specified.
3. Provides that each youth tackle football participant removed pursuant to this section shall comply with Section 124235 (Youth Sports Return to Play Protocol) and the injury shall be reported to the youth tackle football league.
4. Further provides that each youth tackle football league must retain specified injury information from which the names of individuals shall not be identified for the tracking of youth sports injuries.
5. States that youth sports organization shall annually provide a declaration to its youth tackle football league stating that it is in compliance with this article, as specified.
6. Clarifies that nothing in this article shall prohibit any youth sports organization or youth tackle football league from adopting and enforcing rules intended to provide a higher standard of safety for youth tackle football participants.
7. Contains the following definitions:
   1. “Coach” means a person appointed by a youth sports organization to supervise or instruct a participant in the sport of youth tackle football.
   2. “Full-contact portion” of practice is defined as the period of time in drills or live action that involves contact at game speed.
   3. “Full-contact practice” means a session where one or more drills or live action is conducted that involves contact at game speed, as in an actual tackle football game or scrimmage. This includes simulations or drills that involve any number of players.
   4. “Heat-related illness” includes, but is not necessarily limited to, heat cramps, heat syncope, heat exhaustion, and exertional heat stroke.
   5. “Off-season” means a period extending from the end of the regular season until 30 days before the commencement of the next regular season.
   6. “Play” includes participation in a youth tackle football game, scrimmage, or practice.
   7. “Preseason” means a period of 30 days before the commencement of the regular season.
   8. “Regular season” means the period from the first league football game or scrimmage until the completion of the final football game of that season.
   9. “Safety equipment” includes, but is not necessarily limited to, all of the following: a helmet and its associated parts, including, but not necessarily limited to, a face mask and mouth guard, hip, knee, shoulder pads, jersey, tailbone protector, pants, thigh guards, and shoes, including cleats.
   10. “Youth sports organization” means an organization, business, or nonprofit entity that sponsors or conducts amateur sports competition, training, camps, clinics, practices, or clubs.
   11. “Youth tackle football league” means the organization that groups together youth sports organizations that conduct youth tackle football, administers rules, and sets game schedules. It may or may not be associated with a national organization.
   12. Makes various findings and declarations.

EXISTING LAW:

Requires a youth sports organization that elects to offer an athletic program to comply with all of the following:

1. Require an athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or other head injury in an athletic activity to be immediately removed from the athletic activity for the remainder of the day, and not permitted to return to any athletic activity until he or she is evaluated by a licensed health care provider;
2. Prohibit the athlete from returning to athletic activity until he or she receives written clearance to return to athletic activity from a licensed health care provider;
3. Require, if the licensed health care provider determines that the athlete sustained a concussion or other head injury, the athlete to also complete a graduated return-to-play protocol of no less than seven days in duration under the supervision of a licensed health care provider;
4. Require if an athlete who is 17 years of age or younger has been removed from athletic activity due to a suspected concussion, the youth sports organization to notify a parent or guardian of that athlete of the time and date of the injury, the symptoms observed, and any treatment provided to that athlete for the injury;
5. Require on a yearly basis, the youth sports organization to give a concussion and head injury information sheet to each athlete;
6. Require the information sheet to be signed and returned by the athlete and, if the athlete is 17 years of age or younger, to also be signed by the athlete’s parent or guardian, before the athlete initiates practice or competition;
7. Permit the information sheet to be sent and returned through an electronic medium including, but not necessarily limited to, fax or electronic mail;
8. Require each coach and administrator to be required to successfully complete the concussion and head injury education offered at least once, either online or in person, before supervising an athlete in an activity of the youth sports organization;
9. Require on a yearly basis, the youth sports organization to offer concussion and head injury education, or related educational materials, or both, to each coach and administrator of the youth sports organization; and,
10. Require the youth sports organization to identify both of the following:
    1. An individual within the organization who is responsible for ensuring compliance by the organization with the requirements for providing concussion and head injury education contained in paragraph 8 above; and,
    2. Procedures to ensure compliance with the athlete removal provisions and the return-to-play protocol required pursuant to paragraphs 1-3 above.
11. Establishes definitions including that a “youth sports organization” means an organization, business, nonprofit entity, or a local governmental agency that sponsors or conducts amateur sports competitions, training, camps, or clubs in which persons 17 years of age or younger participate in any of the following sports:

Baseball; Basketball; Bicycle motocross; Boxing; Competitive cheerleading; Full Contact Martial Arts; Diving; Equestrian activities; Field hockey; Football; Gymnastics; Ice hockey; Lacrosse; Parkour; Rodeo; Roller derby; Rugby; Skateboarding; Skiing; Soccer; Softball; Surfing; Volleyball; Water polo; and, Wrestling.

1. Defines “licensed health care provider” as a licensed health care provider who is trained in the evaluation and management of concussions and is acting within the scope of his or her practice.
2. Requires this bill to apply to all persons participating in the activities of a youth sports organization, irrespective of their ages. Prohibits anything in this bill from being construed to prohibit a youth sports organization, or any other appropriate entity, from adopting and enforcing rules intended to provide a higher standard of safety for athletes than the standard established under this bill.

FISCAL EFFECT: None. This measure has been keyed non-fiscal by the Legislative Counsel.

COMMENTS:

1. Author’s statement of need: to improve youth tackle football safety. According to the author, “Across the nation, over 2.5 million players, coaches, cheerleaders, and parent volunteers participate in youth football. Youth football promotes the values of teamwork, self-discipline, diversity, academics, nutrition, and leadership and promotes an active lifestyle. Football is one of the Nation’s and California’s most popular sports, and the health and safety of the players is and should continue to be youth football’s top priority. A variety of scholarly journals and medical research have studied the benefits of youth tackle football. The American Academy of Pediatrics, Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness, published “Tackling in Youth Football” (October 15, 2015) which includes recommendations to enhance the safety of football including improved teaching of proper tackling techniques, better enforcement of existing safety rules and changing practice regimens.

“AB 1 defines additional requirements to create the best possible environment for youth tackle football based on previous legislation, current best practices, and medical research. This bill limits contact and requires concussion education, coach training, injury tracking, independent observation of practice, and medical personnel at games for all youth tackle football leagues and teams with a self-governing approach. Americans love football and kids love playing football. However, we must ensure our children are safe while playing contact sports. I am proud to author AB 1 the California Youth Football Act to ensure kids will be able to play football in a safer environment.”

1. Supporters: AB 1 is a nationwide model for best practices in youth football safety. California Youth Football Alliance (CAYFA), sponsors of AB 1 write the committee in support saying “Our Alliance applauds the legislature for their historical efforts to improve the level of safety in the game of tackle football via multiple laws passed in the recent decade. AB-1 builds on this historical effort by proposing a comprehensive set of tackle football safety standards, tailored for our youth community in California, backed by pioneering new practices that enhance current local and national level requirements.

“As sponsors of AB-1, the CAYFA continues to research and uncover leading medical insight that impacts the youth tackle football community. Our scientific understanding of the brain is rapidly evolving with respect to head impacts and concussions. There is no way to eliminate head impacts of concussions due to general life conditions and the biological makeup of the human body. …Much like we approach natural disasters with a risk management and preparedness mindset, we must be prepared and do what is necessary to minimize the risks of head impacts and concussions while closely following the evolution of the science of the brain.

“We are confident that AB-1 proposes ground-breaking legislation for our country that creates the opportunity to unify the youth football community and create meaningful behavior change. AB-1is written with the intention to accelerate the evolution of youth tackle football in a medically informed manner. We are calling all stakeholders - including players, parents, coaches, league representatives, medical experts, and legislators - together, to provide the safest possible environment for our youth and continue the long tradition of youth tackle football in California.”

1. Background: The movie Concussion focused attention on the possible nexus between CTE and Football. This committee hosted a screening of the film, Concussion, and a dialogue on the topic of concussion in sports with Dr. Bennet Omalu, who is portrayed in the film, and representatives of the California Athletic Trainers Association in 2016. Many of the issues raised in that film and subsequent policy discussions of this committee regarding athlete safety have seen their way into law.
   1. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). CTE is degenerative brain disease and is caused by a build-up of a protein called Tau in the brain. It was first recognized in the modern medical literature as the condition of being, "punch drunk," an allusion to its association with disabled boxers. This tau protein can form barriers in the brain which impede neuro pathways. There is no known cause for why some people develop CTE, but not others. To date, there is no proven association with the number of head injuries, the severity of head injury, or in the case of athletes, and the duration of time a player is exposed to potential head injury. CTE has been found in teenagers, young adults, and middle aged persons. CTE symptoms are similar to Alzheimer's Syndrome and dementia, and may include: difficulty thinking, impulsive behavior, depression or apathy, short-term memory loss, emotional instability, substance abuse, suicidal thoughts or behavior, difficulty planning and carrying out tasks.
   2. Desire to avoid brain injuries has brought about change in the sport of football. The NFL was sued by retired players who claimed their physical, mental and behavioral problems were caused by CTE, which in turn they claimed was caused by playing football. Numerous studies were presented by each side which was unable to definitively prove either claim. The NFL eventually settled the case. Research is ongoing.

The NFL has since changed many rules in order to make the game safer and lessen the chances of head contact. Tackling rules include no "spearing" style or hitting the helmet of another player, no hitting a defenseless player, fewer high impact plays such as run-backs of punts and kick offs, etc. The NCAA, other collegiate athletic governing bodies as well as the CIF have also established safe tackling protocols and limited full contact practices.

In addition, California has instituted laws which require concussion prevention and coaches training in both schools and in youth sports, including requirements that schools must have concussion and return to play protocols for all sports; 27 Youth Sports must have concussion, heat exhaustion and return to play protocols, and; practice and full-contact limits for schools which elect to have a football team (See comment 5 below).

1. AB 1 closely resembles proposed Committee amendments to AB 2108 of last session (discussed above and below), which in turn followed "American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness Policy Statement: Tackling in Youth Football" guidelines.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, (AAP) Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness, recently issued a policy paper on "Tackling in Youth Football" wherein they reviewed the literature regarding the sport of tackle football and its health impacts upon children. The study introduction sets out the rationale for the study, to place conflicting information in context and make recommendations. "The purpose of this statement is to review the literature regarding injuries in football, particularly those of the head and neck, the relationship between tackling and football-related injuries, and the potential effects of limiting or delaying tackling on injury risk."

After looking at the incidents of injuries in youth football - with a focus on injuries associated with tackling, the effect of decreasing contact practices, delay of tackling until a certain age, rule changes, training in proper tackling technique and protective equipment, the AAP came to the following conclusions and recommendations. First, regarding injuries, the AAP found, "Most injuries sustained during participation in youth football are minor, including injuries to the head and neck. The incidences of severe injuries, catastrophic injuries, and concussion, however, are higher in football than most other team sports and appear to increase with age."

As to the issue of whether younger children should be prohibited from engaging in tackle football, the AAP stated that no studies had examined this question in football, but shared studies which seemed to show increased likelihood of greater and more frequent injuries for those children who entered into the contact form of the sport (hockey) at a later age, verses children who had played full contact hockey from a younger age. The logic is, "eliminating contact at a young age would prevent young athletes from learning the skills required to tackle, absorb a tackle, and fall to the ground safely. Then, when contact is later introduced, athletes will be ill prepared and forced to learn these skills at an age where they are bigger, faster, stronger, more coordinated, and capable of delivering more forceful blows."

The AAP made several recommendations, including:

• 1. Improve the teaching of proper tackling technique and enforce existing rules prohibiting the use of improper technique such as spearing.
  2. For younger players, limiting full contact practices while simultaneously teaching fundamental skills required for proper tackling and properly absorbing tackles may reduce the overall exposure to head impacts and high magnitude impacts.
  3. Athletes participating in football should wear undamaged, properly fitted helmets with secured chin straps.
  4. Neck muscle strengthening is recommended.
  5. Efforts should be made by football teams to have athletic trainers at the sidelines during organized football games and practices.

(American Academy of Pediatrics, Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness, Tackling in Youth Football [Journal of Pediatrics, Volume 136, number 5, November 2015].)

1. Committee comment: The intent of AB 1 is to “improve youth tackle football’s safety” and not create or promise an injury free version of football. Football is a contact sport and with that comes risk of injury; from sprained ankles rolled on uneven sod, to arms broken when landing poorly in a scrum, to concussions occasioned by bodies colliding with each other at high velocity. Some worry that if AB 1 is adopted, parents may interpret this to mean tackle football is “safe.” As the bill language itself notes in the findings and declarations, “The awareness of the possible injury risks associated with football are now widely known and accepted by parents, players, coaches, officials, medical professionals, and the general public.” But even supporters agree, “The well-being of our children should not be sacrificed in the name of entertainment.” (California Taxpayers for Improving Public Safety - Support of AB 1). Thus, AB 1 seeks to mitigate harm and prevent injury where possible.

It should be noted that these types of injuries happen in other sports too, and often at higher rates than in tackle football. In researching this and prior measures, the committee staff learned that the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, NEISS, found, "Pop Warner football has 12% fewer injuries per capita among 5-15 year olds than organized soccer in the same age ranges." And in a recent comparison between flag football, the frequently proffered "safer" replacement, and tackle football, the University of Iowa found just the opposite result: "Our first objective was to determine whether flag football had lower injury rates than youth tackle football. The injury rate found in the youth flag league is significantly higher than the injury rate in youth tackle football (P ¼ .0065). Therefore, we reject our initial hypothesis."

The Author and sponsors state they are continuing to monitor “research and uncover leading medical insight that impacts the youth tackle football community.” And assert that, “we must be prepared and do what is necessary to minimize risks of head impacts and concussions while closely following the evolution of the science of the brain.” The Legislative intent in passing the measure, should we chose to, states the goal to “improve youth tackle football’s safety with new standards…” The committee urges the sponsors to make this an ongoing goal and update the standards as is warranted by new information and best practices.

1. Prior and related legislation.
   1. AB 379 (Maienschein), of this session, would add similar protocols relating to sudden cardiac arrest prevention to the concussion protocols imposed on youth sports organizations under existing law, and would delete designation of 27 covered sports from the definition of youth sports organization for purposes of this provision, thus expanding the scope of covered youth sports organizations. Status: passed out of this committee 7-0 and is currently pending on the Assembly floor.
   2. AB 2108 (McCarty), of 2018, this bill would have prohibited any person who is not at least 12 years of age from playing tackle football with a youth sports organization, as specified. Status: Withdrawn by the author prior to hearing in this committee.
   3. AB 2800 (Chu), Chapter 21, Statutes of 2017, requires high school coaches to be trained with a basic understanding of the signs and symptoms of heat illness, as defined, and the appropriate response to heat illness.
   4. AB 2007 (McCarty), Chapter 516, Statutes of 2016, requires a concussion and head injury information sheet to be signed and returned by the athlete and athlete’s parent or guardian before an athlete begins practice or competition in one of 27 sports offered by youth sports organizations, and proscribes return to play protocols for concussed athletes.
   5. AB 2127 (Cooley), Chapter 165, Statutes on 2014, limits full-contact football practices, as provided, and requires a student-athlete who has suffered a concussion or head injury to complete a graduated return-to-play protocol of at least seven days, as specified.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

California Youth Football Alliance
Taxpayers for Improving Public Safety (TIPS)

Opposition

There is no opposition on file.

Analysis Prepared by: Dana Mitchell / A.,E.,S.,T., & I.M. / (916) 319-3450