STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman PAMELA R. LAMPITT
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
Assemblyman BENJIE E. WIMBERLY
District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Allows other licensed healthcare providers trained in evaluation and management of concussions in addition to physicians to provide written clearance for student-athlete return to competition.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning student-athlete head injuries and amending P.L.2010, c.94.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 4 of P.L.2010, c.94 (C.18A:40-41.4) is amended to read as follows:
4. A student who participates in an interscholastic sports program, intramural sports program, or cheerleading program and who sustains or is suspected of having sustained a concussion or other head injury while engaged in a competition or practice shall be immediately removed from the competition or practice. A student-athlete or cheerleader who is removed from competition or practice shall not participate in further sports or cheerleading activity until:
a. the student-athlete or cheerleader is evaluated by a physician or other licensed healthcare provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussions, and receives written clearance from a physician [trained in the evaluation and management of concussions] or other licensed healthcare provider whose scope of practice includes the ability to diagnose and treat a concussion to return to competition or practice; and
b. the student-athlete or cheerleader returns to regular school activities and is no longer experiencing symptoms of the injury when conducting those activities.
The return of a student-athlete or cheerleader to competition or practice shall be in accordance with the graduated, six-step "Return to Play Progression" recommendations and any subsequent changes or other updates to those recommendations as developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
(cf: P.L.2021, c.222, s.3)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
Under current law, the Department of Education was required to develop and implement, by the 2011-2012 school year, a head injury safety training program on the recognition of the symptoms of head injuries and the appropriate amount of time to delay the return to competition of a student who suffers a head injury. The law provides that students who participate in interscholastic sports programs, intramural sports programs, or cheerleading programs
who sustain or are suspected of having sustained a concussion or other head injury while engaged in a sports competition or practice must be immediately removed from the competition or practice. The student may not return to competition or practice until he is evaluated by a physician or other licensed healthcare provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussions and receives written clearance from such a physician.
This bill provides that, in addition to physicians, other licensed healthcare providers whose scope of practice includes the ability to diagnose and treat concussion may provide the written clearance for the student’s return to play.