Illinois General Assembly - Bill Status for HB0200

Amends the School Code. Requires a school board to work in concert with the Illinois High School Association to develop guidelines and other pertinent information and forms to inform and educate coaches, student athletes, and these athletes' parents and guardians of the nature and risk of concussions and head injuries, including continuing to play after a concussion or head injury. Requires the concussion and head injury information sheet to be signed and returned by a student athlete and the athlete's parent or guardian prior to the student athlete's initiating practice or competition. Provides that a school board shall adopt a policy requiring a student athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury in a practice or game to be removed from competition at that time. Requires the policy to provide that a student athlete who has been removed from play may not return to play until the student athlete is evaluated by a licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussions and head injuries and the student athlete receives written clearance to return to play from that health care provider.

Replaces the amendatory language, other than the General Assembly findings. Requires each school board to adopt a policy regarding student athlete concussions and head injuries that is in compliance with the protocols, policies, and by-laws of the Illinois High School Association. Provides that information on the school board's concussion and head injury policy must be a part of any agreement, contract, code, or other written instrument that a school district requires a student athlete and his or her parents or guardian to sign before participating in practice or interscholastic competition. Requires the Illinois High School Association to make available to all school districts education materials that describe the nature and risk of concussions and head injuries. Requires each school district to use education materials provided by the Illinois High School Association to educate coaches, student athletes, and parents and guardians of student athletes about the nature and risk of concussions and head injuries, including continuing play after a concussion or head injury.

Deletes everything. Reinserts the contents of the bill as engrossed, with the following changes. Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Protecting Our Student Athletes Act. Amends the Park District Code. Provides that any park district is authorized and encouraged to make available to residents and users of park district facilities, including youth athletic programs, electronically or in written form, educational materials that describe the nature and risk of concussion and head injuries, including the advisability of removal of youth athletes that exhibit signs, symptoms, or behaviors consistent with a concussion, such as a loss of consciousness, headache, dizziness, confusion, or balance problems, from a practice or game. Provides that these educational materials may include materials produced or distributed by the Illinois High School Association, those produced by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or other comparable materials. Provides that the intent of these materials is to assist in educating coaches, youth athletes, and parents and guardians of youth athletes about the nature and risks of head injuries. Makes a technical correction to a caption. Adds a July 1, 2011 effective date.

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