Concussions in Youth Athletes - Illinois

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Illinois

Governor Quinn signed HB 200 into law on July 28, 2011. This law can be found at sections 70-1205/8-24 and 105/34-18.45) and 105/5/10-20.53, under the chapter and section dealing with schools and school boards. (70 Ill. Comp. Stat. 1205/8-24 and 105 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/34-18.45 and 105 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/10-20.53).

This law provides that the Act applies to all school and park districts within the State that operate or sponsor athletic programs or extracurricular activities. It requires the State Board of Education and park districts to develop guidelines on policies to inform and educate coaches and athletes and the athlete’s parents/guardians of the nature and risks of concussions, criteria for removal from and return to play, and the risks of not reporting the injury and continuing to play. It also provides that school boards are required to adopt policies on concussions, and that these policies must be included in the agreements signed by parents/guardians before a student participates in practice or interscholastic competition. The Illinois High School Association is to make materials on concussions available to all school districts.

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

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?DocName=007012050HArt%2E+8&ActID=892&ChapterID=15&SeqStart=9800000&SeqEnd=12999609

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?DocName=010500050HArt%2E+34&ActID=1005&ChapterID=17&SeqStart=181700000&SeqEnd=205600000

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?DocName=010500050HArt%2E+10&ActID=1005&ChapterID=17&SeqStart=57800000&SeqEnd=81000000

There have been no amendments to this law since enacted. However, on February 7, 2012, Senate Bill 3410 was introduced. The measure has passed the Senate and had been referred to the House Education Committee. As the proposed legislation exists at the present, if adopted, it would amend the existing statute and renumber Sections 10.23.53 to 10.20.54 and renumber 34-18.45 through 18.46 to 105 ILCS 10-20.54. The key provision would be for the immediate removal of any athlete exhibiting signs and symptoms of a concussion and the preclusion from return to play until authorized by a licensed physician.

The text of amended SB 3410 can be viewed online at:

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=&SessionId=84&GA=97&DocTypeId=SB&DocNum=3410&GAID=11&LegID=64966&SpecSess=&Session=