Safe Kids Pennsylvania > Legislative Updates

‘Safety in Youth Sports Act’ Signed into Law

Nov. 9, Governor Corbett signed the ‘Safety In Youth Sports Act’, a bill intended to protect student athletes from serious head injuries. Key points of the bill, which take effect July 1, include:

Establishing standards for managing concussions and other brain injuries
Removal from activity of a student who may have suffered a head injury
Return to play not allowed until the student has been medically cleared
Required training for coaches about the risks of concussions

Click here for additional resources.

Gov. Corbett Signs Teen Driving Bill into Law

The law also has ramifications for child passenger safety and teen driving throughout the state of Pennsylvania. Read more…

Proposed Legislation Aims to Ensure Steps are taken to Manage Concussions in Student Athletes

State Representative Tim Briggs and State Senator Pat Browne have introduced the Safety in Youth Sports Act (H.B. 200/S.B. 200) to ensure that male and female student athletes who suffer concussions receive proper care and rest before they get back into the game. The bill states that a player who shows symptoms of sustaining a concussion would not be able to return to play until they are cleared by an appropriate medical professional. It also would require students and a parent or guardian to read and sign a concussion awareness sheet so they are better informed about injuries that may be sustained on the field.

Pennsylvania House Bill 200
Pennsylvania Senate Bill 200

For more information on Concussions in Youth Sports, visit the Center for Disease Control at
http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/HeadsUp/youth.html.

In addition, Safe Kids Pennsylvania recommends these precautions for all children playing or practicing any individual or team sport:

Before signing up for a sport, get a general physical exam.
Always wear appropriate protective gear for the activity — for practice as well as games — and make sure it’s the right size and properly adjusted.
Always warm-up and cool-down. If it’s important before and after a game, it’s important before and after practice.
Make sure responsible adults know and enforce the safety rules of the sport, are present to provide supervision, and are trained in first aid and CPR.
Never “play through” an injury. Get immediate help from a coach or trainer and be sure to mention everything that hurts or aches. All coaches should have a plan for dealing with emergencies.
When playing outside, wear sunscreen that is SPF 15 or higher.
Follow the rules. In most sports, the rules are based not only on sportsmanship, but safety.

Proposed Legislation

All reports are in PDF format.

2011-2012 Legislative Session

May 2011
Pennsylvania Child Safety Legislative Report – May 2011

2009-2010 Legislative Session

December 2010
Pennsylvania Child Safety Legislative Report - December 2010

June 2010
Pennsylvania Child Safety Legislative Report - June 2010

November 2009
Pennsylvania Child Safety Legislative Report - November 2009

June 2009
Pennsylvania Child Safety Legislative Report - June 2009

March 2009
Pennsylvania Child Safety Legislative Report - March 2009

2007-2008 Legislative Session

November 2008
Pennsylvania Child Safety Legislative Report - November 2008