Concussions in Youth Athletes - North Dakota

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North Dakota

Governor Dalrymple signed SB 2281 into law on April 22, 2011. This law can be found in two different sections of the North Dakota Code- section 15.1-18.2-04, under the education code, and section 32-12.1 of the North Dakota Code. (N.D. Cent. Code § 15.1-18.2-04 and § 32-12.1).

Section 32-12.1 requires any political subdivision, other than a school district, that sponsors or sanctions athletic activities for children under 18 to pay a fee to participate, must be governed by the terms of a concussion management program. This program must: define the symptoms of a concussion; require coaches to immediately remove from the activity any athlete suspected of sustaining a concussion; and that a child removed due to a concussion be examined by a physician and given written authorization before returning to the activity. It also requires a parent/guardian acknowledge in writing that they have received information on concussions. Section 15.1-18-04 states that the same provisions apply to school districts.

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

http://www.legis.nd.gov/cencode/t15-1.html (section labeled 15.1-18.2) http://www.legis.nd.gov/cencode/t32.html (section labeled 32-12.1).

There has been no legislation introduced in the North Dakota Legislature in 2012 to amend repeal the present law.