SENATE BILL 1

49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2010

INTRODUCED BY

Michael S. Sanchez

AN ACT

RELATING TO SCHOOL ATHLETICS SAFETY; ESTABLISHING SAFETY PROTOCOLS AND EDUCATION REGARDING CONCUSSION AND OTHER HEAD INJURIES RESULTING FROM ATHLETIC ACTIVITIES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     Section 1. A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read: 

     "[NEW MATERIAL] CONCUSSION OR OTHER HEAD INJURY--PROTOCOLS TO BE USED BY COACHES FOR CONCUSSIONS OR HEAD INJURIES RECEIVED BY STUDENTS IN SCHOOL ATHLETIC EVENTS--TRAINING OF COACHES--INFORMATION TO BE PROVIDED TO COACHES, STUDENT ATHLETES AND STUDENT ATHLETES' PARENTS OR GUARDIANS.--

          A. A coach shall not allow a student athlete to participate in a school athletic event on the same day that the student athlete:

                (1) exhibits signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion or other head injury after a coach, a school official or a student athlete reports, observes or suspects that the student athlete exhibiting these signs, symptoms or behaviors has sustained a concussion or other head injury; or

                (2) has been diagnosed with a concussion or other head injury.

          B. A coach may allow a student athlete who has been prohibited from participating in a school athletic event pursuant to Subsection A of this section to participate in a school athletic event no sooner than the day after the student athlete has received a blow to the head or body and only after the student athlete:

                (1) no longer exhibits any sign, symptom or behavior consistent with a concussion or other head injury; and

                (2) receives a medical release from a licensed health care professional.

          C. Each school district shall ensure that each coach participating in school athletic activities in the school district receives training provided pursuant to Paragraph (1) of Subsection D of this section.

          D. The New Mexico activities association shall consult with school districts and promulgate rules to establish:

                (1) protocols and content consistent with current medical knowledge for training each coach participating in school athletic events to:

                     (a) understand the nature and risk of concussion and other head injuries associated with athletic activity; and

                     (b) recognize signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion or other head injury when a coach suspects or observes that a student athlete has received a blow to the head or body; and

                (2) the nature and content of concussion and other head injury information forms and educational materials for, and the means of providing these forms and materials to, coaches, student athletes and student athletes' parents or guardians regarding the nature and risk of concussion and other head injuries resulting from athletic activity, including the risk of continuing or returning to athletic activity after a concussion or other head injury.

          E. At the beginning of each academic year, a school district shall provide a concussion and other head injury information form created pursuant to Subsection D of this section to a student athlete and the student athlete's parent or guardian. The school district shall receive signatures on the concussion and other head injury information form from the student athlete and the student athlete's parent or guardian before permitting the student athlete to begin or continue participating in school athletic events for that academic year.

          F. As used in this section:

                (1) "academic year" means any consecutive period of two semesters, three quarters or other comparable units commencing with the fall term each year;

                (2) "head injury" means a trauma that leads to an injury to the scalp, skull or brain;

                (3) "New Mexico activities association" means a nonprofit organization that regulates interscholastic programs for junior and senior high schools in New Mexico;

                (4) "school athletic event" means a junior or senior high school athletic event that the New Mexico activities association regulates; and

                (5) "student athlete" means a junior or senior high school student who engages in, is eligible to engage in or seeks to engage in a school athletic event."

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