State Legislation To Help Student Athletes

State Representative Tom Cross today advanced legislation in the General Assembly to help protect student athletes from sports-related head injuries.  Cross (R-Oswego) won unanimous House approval of House Bill 200, requiring more concussion education for parents, coaches and student athletes in Illinois.   

“Repeated concussions can have serious, immediate and long-term consequences for young athletes,” Cross said “With this legislation we are simply ensuring students, their parents, coaches and others involved in school sports activities are aware of the warning signs of concussions and how to respond.”

House Bill 200 would require all school boards in the state to work with the Illinois High School Association to develop guidelines to educate coaches, student athletes and their parents, including:

Requiring all school boards to adopt a policy regarding student athlete concussions and head injuries, and ensuring that policy be a part of any agreement, contract, code, or other written instrument a student athlete and his or her parents or guardians must sign to participate in school sporting activities.

Requiring the IHSA to make available to all school districts education materials, such as visual presentations and other written materials that describe the nature and risk of concussions and head injuries.

Requiring each school district to use IHSA education materials to educate coaches, student athletes, parents and guardians of student athletes.

 “This legislation is the direct result of concerns and ideas brought to me by parents and school officials in my district. Our children’s safety depends upon everyone involved in school sports understanding how to spot a potential head injury and how to prevent the most serious consequences.” Cross said. 

Cross’s legislation now heads to the Illinois Senate where he plans to work with Sen. Kwame Raoul (D-Chicago) who is the sponsor of the bill, in cooperation with Northwestern Hospital, the IHSA, The NFL, the Chicago Bears as well as other interested groups.