Florida Senate - 2011 SB 730
By Senator Flores
38-00544-11 2011730__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to youth and student athletes;
3 amending s. 943.0438, F.S.; requiring independent
4 sanctioning authorities to adopt policies to inform
5 youth athletes and their parents of the nature and
6 risk of certain head injuries; requiring that a signed
7 consent form be obtained before the youth participates
8 in athletic practices or competitions; requiring that
9 a youth athlete be immediately removed from an
10 athletic activity following a suspected head injury;
11 requiring written clearance from a medical
12 professional before the youth resumes athletic
13 activities; amending s. 1006.20, F.S.; requiring the
14 Florida High School Athletic Association to adopt
15 policies to inform student athletes and their parents
16 of the nature and risk of certain head injuries;
17 requiring that a signed consent form be obtained
18 before a student athlete participates in athletic
19 practices or competitions; requiring that a student
20 athlete be immediately removed from an athletic
21 activity following a suspected head injury; requiring
22 written clearance from a medical professional before
23 the student resumes athletic activities; providing an
24 effective date.
25
26 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
27
28 Section 1. Paragraph (e) is added to subsection (2) of
29 section 943.0438, Florida Statutes, to read:
30 943.0438 Athletic coaches for independent sanctioning
31 authorities.—
32 (2) An independent sanctioning authority shall:
33 (e)1. Adopt guidelines to educate officials,
34 administrators, athletic coaches, and youth athletes and their
35 parents or guardians of the nature and risk of concussion and
36 head injury.
37 2. Adopt bylaws or policies that require the parent or
38 guardian of a minor who participates in athletic practices or
39 competitions of the independent sanctioning authority, before
40 the minor participates in a competition, practice, or other
41 activity, to sign and return a consent form that explains the
42 nature and risk of concussion and head injury, including the
43 risk of continuing to play after a concussion or head injury has
44 occurred.
45 3. Adopt bylaws or policies that require youth athletes who
46 are suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury in a
47 practice or competition to be immediately removed from the
48 activity. A youth athlete who has been removed may not return to
49 practice or competition until the youth receives written
50 clearance to return from a physician or physician assistant
51 licensed under chapter 458, an osteopathic physician licensed
52 under chapter 459, or an advanced registered nurse practitioner
53 licensed under chapter 464, who is in active clinical practice.
54 Section 2. Paragraphs (e), (f), and (g) are added to
55 subsection (2) of section 1006.20, Florida Statutes, to read:
56 1006.20 Athletics in public K-12 schools.—
57 (2) ADOPTION OF BYLAWS.—
58 (e) The organization shall adopt guidelines to educate
59 officials, administrators, coaches, and student athletes and
60 their parents or guardians of the nature and risk of concussion
61 and head injury.
62 (f) The organization shall adopt bylaws or policies that
63 require the parent or guardian of a student who participates in
64 interscholastic athletic competition or who is a candidate for
65 an interscholastic athletic team, before the student
66 participates in a competition, practice, or other activity, to
67 annually sign and return a consent form that explains the nature
68 and risk of concussion and head injury, including the risk of
69 continuing to play after a concussion or head injury has
70 occurred.
71 (g) The organization shall adopt bylaws or policies that
72 require student athletes who are suspected of sustaining a
73 concussion or head injury in a practice or competition to be
74 immediately removed from the activity. A student athlete who has
75 been removed may not return to practice or competition until the
76 student receives written clearance to return from a physician or
77 physician assistant licensed under chapter 458, an osteopathic
78 physician licensed under chapter 459, or an advanced registered
79 nurse practitioner licensed under chapter 464, who is in active
80 clinical practice.
81 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.