100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2017 and 2018
HB4341

 

Introduced , by Rep. Carol Sente

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the CTE Prevention Act. Defines terms. Provides that a child under the age of 12 may not participate in tackle football offered by an organized youth sports program. Provides that a child under the age of 12 may participate in all other athletic activities offered by an organized youth sports program.


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A BILL FOR

 

HB4341LRB100 17054 AXK 32205 b

1    AN ACT concerning safety.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title; references to Act.
5    (a) Short title. This Act may be cited as the CTE
6Prevention Act.
7    (b) References to Act. This Act may be referred to as the
8Dave Duerson Act to Prevent CTE.
 
9    Section 5. Purpose. The General Assembly finds that the
10best available evidence tells us that Chronic Traumatic
11Encephalopathy (CTE) is caused by repetitive hits to the head
12sustained over a period of years and cite sub-concussive
13impacts as an important factor. The General Assembly also finds
14that athletes who begin playing contact sports at younger ages
15are at greater risk for neurological impairment later in life
16and recognizes that several published studies show that
17exposure to tackle football before the age of 12 is associated
18with a greater risk of neurological impairment than exposure to
19tackle football starting at or after the age of 12.
 
20    Section 10. Definitions. In this Act:
21    "Organized youth sports program" means any organized
22intramural athletic activity program, interscholastic athletic

 

 

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1activity program, or physical education program developed and
2offered to children or students in this State through an
3organized entity, including, but not limited to, a public or
4private elementary or secondary school, charter school, park
5district, athletic association, or other for-profit or
6nonprofit entity.
7    "Tackle football" means any practice or game of American
8football where physical contact is used to force opposing
9players to the ground.
 
10    Section 15. Children under 12; tackle football. A child
11under the age of 12 may not participate in tackle football
12offered by an organized youth sports program. A child under the
13age of 12 may participate in all other athletic activities
14offered by an organized youth sports program, including, but
15not limited to, touch football or flag football.