Concussions in Youth Athletes - District of Columbia

Print

Washington D.C.

Mayor Gray signed B19-7 into law on July 27, 2011. This law can be found at sections 7-2871.01 through 7-2871.05 of the District of Columbia Code, under the human health care and safety title and the chapter dealing with public safety and youth athletic concussion protection. (D.C. Code §§ 7-2871.01 through 7-2871.05).

The law defines concussion, youth athlete, activity, and school. It requires that any athlete suspected of sustaining a concussion during an athletic activity must be removed from participation until evaluated by a health care professional and given written clearance to return to play. The rules further require coaches to undergo concussion training and parents/guardians are required to sign a statement acknowledging receipt of information about concussions each year before the athlete is allowed to participate in any athletic activity. These rules could be expanded by the Mayor of D.C.’s rulemaking ability to include activities that are non-interscholastic, school-sponsored, or organized by a non-governmental organization.

The official versions of these sections are currently available online at:

http://weblinks.westlaw.com/result/default.aspx?cite=UUID%28N776B0A8016%2D3F11E1A7F6E%2DC7C153F60A3%29&db=1000869&findtype=VQ&fn=%5Ftop&pbc=DA010192&rlt=CLID%5FFQRLT303535359164&rp=%2FSearch%2Fdefault%2Ewl&rs=WEBL12%2E04&service=Find&spa=dcc%2D1000&sr=TC&vr=2%2E0

http://weblinks.westlaw.com/result/default.aspx?cite=UUID%28N78B84B0016%2D3F11E1A7F6E%2DC7C153F60A3%29&db=1000869&findtype=VQ&fn=%5Ftop&pbc=DA010192&rlt=CLID%5FFQRLT482344369164&rp=%2FSearch%2Fdefault%2Ewl&rs=WEBL12%2E04&service=Find&spa=dcc%2D1000&sr=TC&vr=2%2E0

http://weblinks.westlaw.com/result/default.aspx?cite=UUID%28N77FA2B2016%2D3F11E1A7F6E%2DC7C153F60A3%29&db=1000869&findtype=VQ&fn=%5Ftop&pbc=DA010192&rlt=CLID%5FFQRLT9869224379164&rp=%2FSearch%2Fdefault%2Ewl&rs=WEBL12%2E04&service=Find&spa=dcc%2D1000&sr=TC&vr=2%2E0

http://weblinks.westlaw.com/result/default.aspx?cite=UUID%28N7742E91016%2D3F11E18CF29%2D4123B05CBEC%29&db=1000869&findtype=VQ&fn=%5Ftop&pbc=DA010192&rlt=CLID%5FFQRLT8477848379164&rp=%2FSearch%2Fdefault%2Ewl&rs=WEBL12%2E04&service=Find&spa=dcc%2D1000&sr=TC&vr=2%2E0

http://weblinks.westlaw.com/result/default.aspx?cite=UUID%28N76C7C5A016%2D3F11E1BAFF9%2D974577A131F%29&db=1000869&findtype=VQ&fn=%5Ftop&pbc=DA010192&rlt=CLID%5FFQRLT6834714389164&rp=%2FSearch%2Fdefault%2Ewl&rs=WEBL12%2E04&service=Find&spa=dcc%2D1000&sr=TC&vr=2%2E0

Presently there is no proposed legislation to amend the law as it exists nor has the Mayor exercised his rule-making capability to extend the law to non-interscholastic athletic activities in accordance with DC Code 7-2871.05