(410 ILCS 145/1)
Sec. 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Youth Sports Concussion Safety Act.
(Source: P.A. 99-245, eff. 8-3-15.)
(410 ILCS 145/5)
Sec. 5. Definitions. In this Section:
"Coach" means any volunteer or employee of a youth sports league who is responsible for organizing and supervising players and teaching them or training them in the fundamental skills of extracurricular athletic activities provided by the youth sports league. "Coach" refers to both head coaches and assistant coaches.
"Concussion" means a complex pathophysiological process affecting the brain caused by a traumatic physical force or impact to the head or body, which may include temporary or prolonged altered brain function resulting in physical, cognitive, or emotional symptoms or altered sleep patterns and which may or may not involve a loss of consciousness.
"Game official" means a person who officiates at a sponsored youth sports activity, such as a referee or umpire, including, but not limited to, persons enrolled as game officials by the Illinois High School Association, the Illinois Elementary School Association, or a youth sports league.
"Player" means an adolescent or child participating in any sponsored youth sports activity of a youth sports league.
"Sponsored youth sports activity" means any athletic activity, including practice or competition, for players under the direction of a coach, athletic director, or band leader of a youth sports league, including, but not limited to, baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross country track, fencing, field hockey, football, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, marching band, rugby, soccer, skating, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track (indoor and outdoor), ultimate Frisbee, volleyball, water polo, wrestling, and any other sport offered by a youth sports league. A sponsored youth sports activity does not include an interscholastic athletic activity as that term is defined in Section 22-80 of the School Code.
"Youth sports league" means any incorporated or unincorporated, for-profit or not-for-profit entity that organizes and provides sponsored youth sports activities, including, but not limited to, any athletic association, organization, or federation in this State that is owned, operated, sanctioned, or sponsored by a unit of local government or that is owned, operated, sanctioned, or sponsored by a private person or entity, as well as any amateur athletic organization or qualified amateur sports organization in this State under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. Sec. 501(c)(3) or Sec. 501(j)).
(Source: P.A. 99-245, eff. 8-3-15.)
(410 ILCS 145/10)
Sec. 10. Scope of Act. This Act applies to any sponsored youth sports activity sponsored or sanctioned by a youth sports league. This Act does not apply to an interscholastic athletic activity as that term is defined in Section 22-80 of the School Code. This Act applies to sponsored youth sports activities beginning or continuing after January 1, 2016.
(Source: P.A. 99-245, eff. 8-3-15.)
(410 ILCS 145/15)
Sec. 15. Concussion and head injury educational materials. Each youth sports league with players who participate in any youth-sponsored sports activity sponsored or sanctioned by the youth sports league is encouraged to make available, electronically or in writing, to coaches, game officials, and players, as well as the parents, guardians, and other persons with legal authority to make medical decisions, educational materials that describe the nature and risk of concussions and head injuries, including the advisability of removal of players that exhibit signs, symptoms, or behaviors consistent with a concussion, such as a loss of consciousness, a headache, dizziness, confusion, or balance problems, from participating in a youth-sponsored sports activity sponsored or sanctioned by the youth sports league.
These educational materials may include materials produced or distributed by the Illinois High School Association, those produced by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or other comparable materials. The intent of these materials is to assist in educating coaches, game officials, and players and parents, guardians, and other persons with legal authority to make medical decisions for players about the nature and risks of head injuries.
(Source: P.A. 99-245, eff. 8-3-15.)
(410 ILCS 145/75)
Sec. 75. (Amendatory provisions; text omitted).
(Source: P.A. 99-245, eff. 8-3-15; text omitted.)
(410 ILCS 145/80)
Sec. 80. (Amendatory provisions; text omitted).
(Source: P.A. 99-245, eff. 8-3-15; text omitted.)
(410 ILCS 145/85)
Sec. 85. The School Code is amended by repealing Sections 10-20.54 and 34-18.46.
(Source: P.A. 99-245, eff. 8-3-15.)
(410 ILCS 145/99)
Sec. 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.
(Source: P.A. 99-245, eff. 8-3-15.)