EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0734*
HOUSE BILL 734
J1, F1 3lr2721
HB 435/22 – W&M
By: Delegates Hill and Wu
Introduced and read first time: February 8, 2023
Assigned to: Ways and Means
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Youth Sports Programs – Registrations, Personnel, and Policy 2
FOR the purpose of requiring certain youth sports programs to maintain and update a 3
registry of youth sports program personnel who participate in the youth sports 4
program; requiring a parent or guardian of a youth registered with a youth sports 5
program to sign and submit to the youth sports program an acknowledgment of the 6
receipt of certain information; requiring a youth sports program to post its removal 7
and return–to–play policy on its website, if available; and generally relating to youth 8
sports programs. 9
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 10
Article – Health – General 11
Section 14–501 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement) 14
BY adding to 15
Article – Health – General 16
Section 14–503 17
Annotated Code of Maryland 18
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement) 19
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 20
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 21
Article – Health – General 22
14–501. 23
(a) [(1)] In this [section] SUBTITLE the following words have the meanings 24 2 HOUSE BILL 734
indicated. 1
[(2)] (B) “Concussion” means a traumatic injury to the brain causing an 2
immediate and, usually, short–lived change in mental status or an alteration of normal 3
consciousness resulting from: 4
[(i)] (1) A fall; 5
[(ii)] (2) A violent blow to the head or body; [or] 6
[(iii)] (3) The shaking or spinning of the head or body; OR 7
(4) ANY TYPE OF DIRECT OR INDIRECT HIT TO THE HEAD OR BODY. 8
[(3)] (C) “Sudden cardiac arrest” means a condition in which the heart 9
suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. 10
[(4)] (D) “Youth athlete” means an individual who participates in an 11
athletic activity in association with a youth sports program conducted: 12
[(i)] (1) At a public OR PRIVATE school facility; or 13
[(ii)] (2) By a recreational athletic organization. 14
[(5)] (E) “Youth sports program” means a program organized for 15
recreational athletic competition or instruction for participants who are under the age of 16
19 years. 17
14–502. 18
[(b)] (A) (1) A youth sports program shall make available information on 19
concussions, head injuries, and sudden cardiac arrest developed by the State Department 20
of Education under §§ 7–433 and 7–436 of the Education Article to coaches, youth athletes, 21
and the parents or guardians of youth athletes. 22
(2) A coach of a youth sports program shall review the information provided 23
in paragraph (1) of this subsection. 24
[(c)] (B) (1) A youth athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or 25
other head injury in a practice or game shall be removed from play at that time. 26
(2) A youth athlete who has been removed from play may not return to play 27
until the youth athlete has obtained written clearance from a licensed health care provider 28
trained in the evaluation and management of concussions. 29
[(d)] (C) Before a youth sports program may use a facility owned or operated by 30 HOUSE BILL 734 3
a local government, the local government shall provide notice to the youth sports program 1
of the requirements of this section. 2
14–503. 3
(A) IN THIS SECTION, “YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAM PERSONNEL ” MEANS ANY 4
PAID OR VOLUNTEER CO ACH, OFFICIAL, ATHLETIC TRAINER, TEAM 5
ADMINISTRATOR , OR STAFF MEMBER WHO PARTICIPATES IN A YO UTH SPORTS 6
PROGRAM. 7
(B) THIS SECTION APPLIES ONLY TO A YOUTH SPORTS PR OGRAM BELOW 8
THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVE L OF PLAY. 9
(C) (1) A YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAM SHALL MAINTAIN AND A NNUALLY 10
UPDATE A REGISTRY OF THE YOUTH SPORTS PRO GRAM PERSONNEL WHO 11
PARTICIPATE IN THE Y OUTH SPORTS PROGRAM . 12
(2) THE REGISTRY SHALL , AT A MINIMUM , INCLUDE FOR EACH 13
INDIVIDUAL: 14
(I) A VALID PHOTO IDENTIFI CATION; 15
(II) A SCREENING THAT IS EI THER: 16
1. A COMPLETED CRIMINAL H ISTORY RECORDS CHECK 17
IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 5–551 OF THE FAMILY LAW ARTICLE; OR 18
2. A COMMERCIAL SCREENING TH AT: 19
A. PROVIDES THE INDIVIDU AL’S NAME, DATE OF BIRTH, 20
AND CURRENT RESIDENC E, VERIFIED WITH A STATE–ISSUED IDENTIFICATIO N; 21
B. INCLUDES A NATIONWIDE CRIMINAL RECORD AND 22
SEX OFFENDER REGISTR Y SEARCH; AND 23
C. INCLUDES AT LEAST ONE COUNTY CRIMINAL RECORD 24
SEARCH; 25
(III) A SIGNED ACKNOWLEDGMEN T OF RECEIPT AND 26
UNDERSTANDING OF THE POLICIES AND PROTOCO LS OF THE YOUTH SPOR TS 27
PROGRAM ON SAFETY PR IORITIES TO MINIMIZE RISK OF HARM TO YOUT H ATHLETES, 28
INCLUDING REMOVAL AN D RETURN–TO–PLAY POLICIES; AND 29
4 HOUSE BILL 734
(IV) DOCUMENTATION OF COMP LETION OF ANNUAL TRA INING 1
IN: 2
1. HEAT ILLNESS RECOGNIT ION, PREVENTION , AND 3
TREATMENT ; 4
2. CONCUSSION AWARENESS ; 5
3. CHILD SAFETY; AND 6
4. LEVELS OF CONTACT TRA INING CONSISTENT WIT H 7
BEST PRACTICES. 8
(3) YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAM PERSONNEL SHALL COMP LETE OR 9
RENEW A REGISTRATION WITH A YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAM EACH YEAR BE FORE 10
PARTICIPATING IN ANY ATHLETIC EVENT OR AC TIVITY. 11
(4) (I) YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAM PERSONNEL SHALL DISP LAY 12
PROOF OF REGISTRAT ION WITH THE YOUTH S PORTS PROGRAM TO GAI N ENTRY INTO 13
THE ARENA OF PLAY FO R ANY ATHLETIC EVENT , PRACTICE, OR GAME. 14
(II) AN INDIVIDUAL’S PROOF OF REGISTRAT ION SHALL BE: 15
1. DISPLAYED FOR THE DUR ATION OF THE ATHLETI C 16
EVENT, PRACTICE, OR GAME; AND 17
2. ON REQUEST, AVAILABLE FOR INSPEC TION. 18
(D) (1) A YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAM SHALL PROVIDE TO EAC H PARENT OR 19
GUARDIAN WHO REGISTE RS A YOUTH ATHLETE I N THE YOUTH SPORTS P ROGRAM: 20
(I) INFORMATION ON : 21
1. SPORTS–RELATED HEAD INJURIE S; 22
2. TRAUMATIC B RAIN INJURY IN CHILD REN; 23
3. YOUTH SPORTS AND HEAT ILLNESS, INCLUDING 24
DEHYDRATION ; AND 25
4. REMOVAL AND RETURN –TO–PLAY POLICIES OF THE 26
YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAM ; AND 27
HOUSE BILL 734 5
(II) A NOTICE THAT SPECIFIES THE P OTENTIAL FOR: 1
1. BRAIN INJURY DURING A NY ATHLETIC EVENT , 2
PRACTICE, GAME, OR ACTIVITY; AND 3
2. HEAT–RELATED ILLNESSES FO R AN ATHLETIC EVENT 4
OR ACTIVITY PLAYED O UTDOORS DURING THE S UMMER MONTHS . 5
(2) THE PARENT OR GUARDIA N OF A YOUTH ATHLETE REGISTERED 6
WITH A YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAM SHALL SIGN A ND SUBMIT TO THE YOU TH SPORTS 7
PROGRAM AN ACKNOWLED GMENT OF RECEIPT OF THE INFORMATION REQU IRED 8
UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION . 9
(E) (1) A YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAM SHALL PROVIDE A COPY OF ITS 10
REMOVAL AND RETURN –TO–PLAY POLICY, ESTABLISHED IN ACCOR DANCE WITH THE 11
REQUIREMENTS OF § 14–502 OF THIS SUBTITLE, TO: 12
(I) ALL YOUTH SPORTS PROG RAM PERSONNEL ; AND 13
(II) EACH PARENT OR GUARDI AN OF A REGISTERED Y OUTH 14
ATHLETE. 15
(2) A YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAM SHALL POST ITS REMOV AL AND 16
RETURN–TO–PLAY POLICY ON ITS W EBSITE, IF AVAILABLE. 17
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 18
October 1, 2023. 19