California Assembly Bill AB25 Introduced / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 25INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Hayashi DECEMBER 6, 2010 An act to amend Sections 35179.1 and 49032 of, and to add Section 49475 to, the Education Code, relating to high school athletics. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 25, as introduced, Hayashi. High school athletics. (1) Existing law states the intent of the Legislature to establish a California High School Coaching Education and Training Program to be administered by school districts and to emphasize, among other things, training and certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid. Existing law requires each high school sports coach to complete a coaching education program developed by his or her school district or the California Interscholastic Federation that meets specified guidelines. Existing law makes a high school sports coach responsible for the costs of taking the prescribed course. Existing law prohibits a high school sports coach who does not complete a coaching education program from coaching for more than one season of interscholastic competition. This bill, commencing December 31, 2012, would require all high school sports coaches taking or renewing first aid certification to take training that includes, among other things, a basic recognition of the signs, symptoms, and appropriate emergency action steps regarding potentially catastrophic injuries, including, but not limited to, head and neck injuries, concussions, and 2nd impact syndrome. To the extent that this bill would create additional requirements for school districts relating to this training, it would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law authorizes school districts to provide specified medical services in connection with athletic events that are under the jurisdiction of, or sponsored or controlled by, school districts. These services include medical or hospital insurance for pupils injured while participating in athletic activities and ambulance service for pupils, instructors, spectators, and other individuals in attendance at athletic activities. This bill would require a school district that elects to offer interscholastic athletic programs to immediately remove from a school-sponsored athletic activity a high school athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury during that activity and would prohibit the return of the pupil to that activity until he or she is evaluated by, and receives written clearance from, a licensed health care provider and his or her parent or guardian, as specified. (3) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 35179.1 of the Education Code is amended to read: 35179.1. (a) This section shall be known and may be cited as the 1998 California High School Coaching Education and Training Program. (b) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (1) The  exploding demand in girls athletics, and an  increase in the number of  pupils participating in both boys and girls   pupils who participate in high school  athletics , are causing an   requires a corresponding statewide  increase in the number of coaches  needed statewide  . (2) Well-trained coaches are vital to the success of  the experience of a pupil in sports and interscholastic athletic activities   pupil athletes  . (3)  Improvement in coaching is a primary need identified by hundreds   Hundreds  of principals, superintendents, and school board members  who  participated in  the development of   developing  a strategic plan  for   in conjunction with  the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF)  in 1993 and 1994   and identified coaching improvement as a vital investment  . (4) There are many concerns about safety, training, organization, philosophy, communications, and general management in coaching that need to be addressed.  (5) It is a conservative estimate that at least 25,000 coaches annually need training and an orientation just to meet current coaching regulations contained in Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations, including basic safety and CPR requirements.   (6)   (5)  School districts, in conjunction with the California Interscholastic Federation, have taken the initial first steps toward building a statewide coaching education program by assembling a faculty of statewide trainers composed of school district administrators, coaches, and athletic directors using a national program being used in several states.  (6) Concussions are a serious and growing public health concern, especially for athletes participating in contact sports.   (7) Concussions can be difficult to detect and, along with other serious head injuries, can have long-term effects, including suicide, depression, memory loss, sleep disorders, impairments in attention, and motor deficits. The effects of these injuries, while not all preventable, can be mitigated by prompt recognition and appropriate response.   (8) The competitive interscholastic athletic culture of playing through pain or "toughing it out" puts pupil athletes at serious risk.   (9) Concussions have a cumulative effect. Allowing an athlete to return to play too early after a concussion increases the chance of more serious brain injury. A concussion can cause rapid brain swelling that can result in coma or even death.   (10) Currently, coaches, pupil athletes, and parents of pupil athletes lack appropriate awareness about the prevention, identification, and treatment of concussions.   (11) According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 3,000,000 sports- and recreation-related concussions occur in the United States each year.  (c) It is, therefore, the intent of the Legislature to establish a California High School Coaching Education and Training Program. It is the intent of the Legislature that the program be administered by local school districts and emphasize the following components: (1) Development of coaching philosophies consistent with  the goals of the  school, school district, and  school board goals   governing board of the school district  . (2) Sport psychology: emphasizing communication, reinforcement of the efforts of young people, effective delivery of coaching regarding technique  ,  and motivation of the pupil athlete. (3) Sport pedagogy: how young athletes learn, and how to teach sport skills. (4) Sport physiology: principles of training, fitness for sport, development of a training program, nutrition for athletes, and the harmful effects associated with the use of steroids and performance-enhancing dietary supplements by adolescents. (5) Sport management: team management, risk management, and working within the context of an entire school program.  (6) Training: certification in CPR and first aid.   (6) Training provided by the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, or another organization that provides equivalent training and certification in all of the following areas:   (A) Valid and current certification in CPR.   (B) Valid and current certification in first aid that includes a basic recognition of the signs, symptoms, and appropriate emergency action steps regarding potentially catastrophic injuries, including, but not limited to, head and neck injuries, concussions, and second impact syndrome.   (C) Emergency action planning.  (7) Knowledge of, and adherence to, statewide rules and regulations, as well as school regulations including, but not necessarily limited to, eligibility, gender equity  ,  and discrimination. (8) Sound planning and goal setting. (d) This section does not endorse a particular coaching education or training program. SEC. 2. Section 49032 of the Education Code is amended to read: 49032. (a) (1) Effective December 31, 2008, each high school sports coach shall have completed a coaching education program developed by his or her school district or the California Interscholastic Federation that meets the guidelines set forth in Section 35179.1.  Commencing on December 31, 2012, each high school sports coach taking or renewing his or her first aid certification shall meet the guidelines set forth in paragraph (6) of subdivision (c) of Section 35179.1.  (2) The coaching education program described by paragraph (1) may be taught by an athletic director or high school sports coach who is deemed to be qualified by the California Interscholastic Federation. (b) Upon completion of the  coaching education  program, a high school sports coach shall be deemed to have completed the education requirement for the remainder of his or her time coaching at the high school level in any school district in the state. (c) Each high school sports coach shall be responsible for the costs of taking the  course   coaching education program  . (d) The training requirements of this section shall count toward the continuing education required for the renewal of the teaching credential of a coach who is also a certificated employee. (e) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a high school sports coach who does not meet the requirements of subdivision (a) may be used for no longer than one season of interscholastic competition. (f) For the purposes of this section, "high school sports coach" means an employee or a volunteer who is authorized by a high school to be responsible for leading a school sports team of pupil athletes. SEC. 3. Section 49475 is added to the Education Code, to read: 49475. If a school district elects to offer any interscholastic athletic programs, the school district shall immediately remove from any school-sponsored athletic activity any high school athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury. Following the removal, the pupil shall not be permitted to return to the activity until he or she is evaluated by a licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussions, acting within the scope of his or her practice, and receives written clearance to return to play from that health care provider and from his or her parent or guardian. SEC. 4. If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.