HB 1627 2024
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hb1627-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to brain and spinal cord injuries; 2
creating s. 381.781, F.S.; providing a short title; 3
providing legislative findings and intent; requiring 4
the advisory council on brain and spinal cord injuries 5
to annually submit a specified report to the 6
Legislature and the Governor; authorizing the State 7
Surgeon General, in consultation with the advisory 8
council, to issue a health advisory with respect to 9
contact sports for minors; providing requirements for 10
such advisory; authorizing the Governor, upon the 11
advice of the State Surgeon General, to set a minimum 12
age for contact sports, along with reasonable waivers 13
and exceptions; providing construction; provi ding 14
rulemaking authority; providing an effective date. 15
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 17
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Section 1. Section 381.781, Florida Statutes, is created 19
to read: 20
381.781 Mac Parkman Act. — 21
(1) This section may be cited as the "Mac Parkman Act." 22
(2) The Legislature finds that while the adolescent brain 23
is still maturing and rapidly developing, it is more susceptible 24
to injury from concussions or sub -concussive impacts, which are 25
HB 1627 2024
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hb1627-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
those impacts that are below the concussion thr eshold when the 26
brain is shaken, but not severe enough to see symptoms of the 27
damage to brain cells. The Legislature further finds that these 28
injuries most often occur in contact sports and continued 29
exposure to such injuries can lead to declines in cognit ive 30
abilities and mental health or to life -threatening conditions 31
such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy or self -harm. It is the 32
intent of the legislature that children under 14 years of age 33
should limit or abstain from contact sports. 34
(3) The advisory council on brain and spinal cord injuries 35
shall annually submit a report to the Governor, the President of 36
the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives with 37
their findings and recommendations. The chair of the advisory 38
council shall give te stimony as needed to the Legislature on the 39
findings of the advisory council and on new policy that could 40
better mitigate and treat the risk of sub -concussive impacts and 41
other brain and spinal cord injuries. 42
(4)(a) The State Surgeon General may, in cons ultation with 43
the advisory council, issue a health advisory with respect to 44
contact sports for minors. Such advisory shall be contained in a 45
notice to be signed by the parent or guardian before a minor may 46
engage in such organized activities. 47
(b) The Governor may, upon the advice of the State Surgeon 48
General, set a minimum age for contact sports, along with 49
reasonable waivers and exceptions to that minimum age such as 50
HB 1627 2024
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1627-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
return to play considerations and frequency of contact sports 51
during a single year. 52
(c) Paragraph (b) only applies when such contact sports 53
are to take place on public property and not when such sports 54
are part of a private league on private property. 55
(5) The department shall adopt rules to administer this 56
section. 57
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024. 58