House File 385 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 385 BY KOESTER and LOFGREN A BILL FOR An Act concerning the protection of student athletes from 1 concussions and other brain injuries. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 2513HH (4) 84 je/nh

H.F. 385 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 280.13C Brain injury policies. 1 1. a. The board of directors of each public school district 2 and the authorities in charge of each nonpublic school shall 3 work in concert with the Iowa high school athletic association 4 and the Iowa girls high school athletic union to distribute 5 guidelines and other pertinent information and forms to inform 6 and educate coaches, student athletes, and the parents and 7 guardians of student athletes of the risks, signs, symptoms, 8 and behaviors consistent with a sports-related concussion or 9 brain injury, including the danger of continuing to participate 10 in athletic activities after suffering a concussion or brain 11 injury. 12 b. Annually, each school district and nonpublic school shall 13 provide to the parent or guardian of each student athlete a 14 concussion and brain injury information sheet. The student 15 athlete and the student athlete’s parent or guardian shall sign 16 and return the concussion and brain injury information sheet 17 to the student athlete’s school prior to the student athlete’s 18 participation in any extracurricular interscholastic athletic 19 activity for grades seven through twelve. 20 2. If a student athlete’s coach or contest official observes 21 signs, symptoms, or behaviors consistent with a concussion 22 or brain injury in an interscholastic athletic practice or 23 game, the student athlete shall be immediately removed from 24 participation. 25 3. a. A student athlete who has been removed from 26 participation shall not recommence such participation until 27 the student athlete has been evaluated by a licensed health 28 care provider trained in the evaluation and management of 29 concussions and other brain injuries and the student athlete 30 has received written clearance to return to participation from 31 the health care provider. 32 b. For the purposes of this section, a “licensed health care 33 provider” means a physician, physician assistant, chiropractor, 34 advanced registered nurse practitioner, nurse, or athletic 35 -1- LSB 2513HH (4) 84 je/nh 1/ 3

H.F. 385 trainer licensed by a board designated under section 147.13. 1 4. The board of directors of each public school district and 2 the authorities in charge of each nonpublic school shall adopt 3 rules and procedures necessary to carry out the requirements of 4 this section. 5 EXPLANATION 6 This bill directs the board of directors of each public 7 school district and the authorities in charge of each nonpublic 8 school to work in concert with the Iowa high school athletic 9 association and the Iowa girls high school athletic union to 10 distribute guidelines and other pertinent information and 11 forms to inform and educate coaches, student athletes, and 12 parents and guardians of student athletes of the risks, signs, 13 symptoms, and behaviors consistent with a sports-related 14 concussion or brain injury, including the danger of continuing 15 to participate in athletic activities after a concussion or 16 brain injury. The bill requires school districts and nonpublic 17 schools to annually provide the parent or guardian of a student 18 athlete with a concussion and brain injury information sheet 19 which must be signed and returned before the student athlete 20 may participate in an extracurricular interscholastic athletic 21 activity for grades seven through 12. 22 The bill provides that if a student athlete’s coach or 23 contest official observes signs, symptoms, or behaviors 24 consistent with a concussion or brain injury in an 25 interscholastic athletic practice or game, the student athlete 26 must be removed from participation. The bill provides that a 27 student athlete removed from participation shall not recommence 28 participation until the student athlete has been evaluated 29 by a licensed health care provider, defined as a physician, 30 physician assistant, chiropractor, advanced registered nurse 31 practitioner, nurse, or athletic trainer licensed by a board 32 designated under Code section 147.13, trained in the evaluation 33 and management of concussions and other head injuries and 34 received written clearance to return to play. 35 -2- LSB 2513HH (4) 84 je/nh 2/ 3

H.F. 385 The bill directs the board of directors of each school 1 district and the authorities in charge of each nonpublic school 2 to adopt rules and procedures necessary to carry out the 3 requirements of the bill. 4 -3- LSB 2513HH (4) 84 je/nh 3/ 3