40:1089.3

Title 40. Public Health and Safety

Chapter 5-a. Health Provisions: Children

Part VII. Youth Sports Injury

Subpart B. Louisiana Youth Concussion Act

40:1089.3 Louisiana youth athlete concussion education requirements

A. The governing authority of each public and nonpublic elementary school, middle school, junior high school, and high school shall:

(1) Prior to beginning of each athletic season, provide pertinent information to all coaches, officials, volunteers, youth athletes, and their parents or legal guardian which informs of the nature and risk of concussion and head injury, including the risks associated with continuing to play after a concussion or head injury.

(2) Require each coach, whether such coach is employed or a volunteer, and every official of a youth athletic activity that involves interscholastic play to complete an annual concussion recognition education course which is in accordance with the provisions of Subsection C of this Section.

(3) Require as a condition of participation in any athletic activities that the youth athlete and the youth athlete’s parents or legal guardian sign a concussion and head injury information sheet which provides adequate notice of the statutory requirements which must be satisfied in order for an athlete who has or is suspected to have suffered a concussion or head injury to return to play.

B. Each private club or public recreation facility and each athletic league which sponsors youth athletic activities shall:

(2) Require each volunteer coach for a youth athletic activity and each coach with whom the club, facility, or league directly contracts with, formally engages, or employs who coaches a youth athletic activity and each official to complete an annual concussion recognition course which is in accordance with the provisions of Subsection C of this Section.

(3) Require as a condition of participation in any athletic activities that the youth athlete and the youth athlete’s parents or legal guardian sign a concussion and head injury information sheet which includes but is not limited to adequate notice of the statutory requirements which must be satisfied in order for an athlete who has or is suspected to have sustained a concussion or head injury to return to play.

C. (1) The concussion recognition education course required by this Section shall include the following information:

(a) How to recognize the signs of and symptoms of a concussion.

(b) The necessity of obtaining proper medical attention for a person suspected of having sustained a concussion.

(c) The nature and risk of concussions, including the danger of continuing to play after sustaining a concussion and the proper method and statutory requirements which must be satisfied in order for a youth athlete to return to play in the athletic activity.

(2)(a) An organization or association of which a school or school district is a member may designate specific education courses as sufficient to meet the requirements of Subsection A of this Section.

(b) Training materials made available by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) entitled, “Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports” and any amendments or updates thereto, training materials made available by the National Federation of High Schools for the Louisiana High School Athletic Association and any amendments or updates thereto, or other training materials substantively and substantially similar to the CDC materials, along with dissemination of a copy of the statutory requirements which must be satisfied in order for a youth athlete who has or is suspected to have sustained a concussion to return to play in the athletic activity, shall be deemed to satisfy the education requirements provided for in this Section.

Redesignated from R.S. 40:1299.183 by H.C.R. No. 84 of the 2015 Regular Session. Added by Acts 2011, No. 314, § 1, eff. June 28, 2011. Amended by Acts 2018, No. 206, § 4.