HB 2042 — An Act amending the act of November 9, 2011 (P.L.441, No.101), known as the Safety in Youth Sports Act, further providing for definitions and for the prevention of concussions and traumatic brain injuries.

PRINTER'S NO.   2614

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 2042
                                                Session of
                                                  2025

     INTRODUCED BY BRIGGS, SANCHEZ, WAXMAN, FREEMAN, HILL-EVANS,
        HOWARD, OTTEN, D. WILLIAMS, GUZMAN, PROBST, WARREN,
        SHUSTERMAN, MAYES, CIRESI, DOUGHERTY AND GREEN,
        NOVEMBER 17, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, NOVEMBER 18, 2025


                                     AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of November 9, 2011 (P.L.411, No.101), entitled
 2      "An act establishing standards for managing concussions and
 3      traumatic brain injuries to student athletes; assigning
 4      duties to the Department of Health and the Department of
 5      Education; and imposing penalties," further providing for
 6      definitions and for the prevention of concussions and
 7      traumatic brain injuries.
 8      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 9   hereby enacts as follows:
10      Section 1.    The definition of "athletic activity" in section
11   2 of the act of November 9, 2011 (P.L.411, No.101), known as the
12   Safety in Youth Sports Act, is amended and the section is
13   amended by adding definitions to read:
14   Section 2.   Definitions.
15      The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
16   have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
17   context clearly indicates otherwise:
18      * * *
19      "Athletic activity."     All of the following:
 1             (1)   Interscholastic athletics.
 2             (2)   An athletic contest or competition, other than
 3      interscholastic athletics, that is sponsored by or associated
 4      with a school entity, including cheerleading, club-sponsored
 5      sports activities and sports activities sponsored by school-
 6      affiliated organizations.
 7             (3)   Noncompetitive cheerleading that is sponsored by or
 8      associated with a school entity.
 9             (4)   Practices, interschool practices and scrimmages for
10      all of the activities listed under paragraphs (1), (2) and
11      (3).
12             (5)   Organized leagues, including private leagues, that
13      are not associated with a school entity or sponsored by
14      interscholastic activities.
15             (6)   Any recreational team activity with pre-adult
16      participants outside of an official school activity that is
17      not associated with a school entity or sponsored by
18      interscholastic activities.
19      * * *
20      "Pre-adult participant."     An individual under 18 years of age
21   that participates in an athletic activity.
22      "Return-to-learn."     A program developed by the Department of
23   Health to build a bridge connecting the medical, rehabilitation,
24   education sectors and families following a student's or pre-
25   adult participant's brain injury. The term includes the
26   BrainSTEPS program or a successor program.
27      * * *
28      Section 2.     Section 3(a), (b), (c), (d) and (e) of the act is
29   amended and the section is amended by adding a subsection to
30   read:

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 1   Section 3.   Concussions and traumatic brain injuries.
 2      (a)   Educational materials.--The Department of Health and the
 3   Department of Education shall develop and post on their Internet
 4   websites guidelines and other relevant materials to inform and
 5   educate students participating in or desiring to participate in
 6   an athletic activity, their parents and their coaches about the
 7   nature and risk of concussion and traumatic brain injury,
 8   including the risks associated with continuing to play or
 9   practice after a concussion or traumatic brain injury. In
10   developing the guidelines and materials, the departments shall
11   utilize existing materials developed or approved by the Centers
12   for Disease Control and Prevention. [A student participating in
13   or desiring] A pre-adult participant who participates or desires
14   to participate in an athletic activity and the [student's] pre-
15   adult participant's parent or guardian shall each [school] year,
16   prior to participation [by the student] in an athletic activity,
17   sign and return to the [student's school] pre-adult
18   participant's sponsoring organization an acknowledgment of
19   receipt and review of a concussion and traumatic brain injury
20   information sheet developed under this subsection.
21      (b)   Informational meeting.--A school entity or sponsoring
22   organization may hold an informational meeting prior to the
23   start of each athletic season for pre-adult participants and
24   competitors of all ages [of competitors] regarding concussions
25   and other head injuries, the importance of proper concussion
26   management and how preseason baseline assessments can aid in the
27   evaluation, management and recovery process. In addition to
28   students, pre-adult participants, parents, coaches and other
29   school officials, informational meetings may include physicians,
30   neuropsychologists, athletic trainers and physical therapists.

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 1      (c)   Removal from play.--A student or pre-adult participant
 2   who, as determined by a game official, coach from the student's
 3   or pre-adult participant's team, certified athletic trainer,
 4   licensed physician, licensed physical therapist or other
 5   official designated by the student's school entity or pre-adult
 6   participant's sponsoring organization, exhibits signs or
 7   symptoms of a concussion or traumatic brain injury while
 8   participating in an athletic activity shall be removed by the
 9   coach from participation at that time.
10      (d)   Return to play.--The coach shall not return a student or
11   pre-adult participant to participation until the student or pre-
12   adult participant is evaluated and cleared for return to
13   participation in writing by an appropriate medical professional.
14   The governing body of a school entity may designate a specific
15   person or persons, who must be appropriate medical
16   professionals, to provide written clearance for return to
17   participation. In order to help determine whether a student or
18   pre-adult participant is ready to return to participation, an
19   appropriate medical professional may consult any other licensed
20   or certified medical professionals.
21      (d.1)   Information to be distributed by sponsoring
22   organizations.--A sponsoring organization must distribute
23   return-to-learn information to all students and pre-adult
24   participants before the student or pre-adult participant
25   participates in an athletic activity offered by the sponsoring
26   organization.
27      (e)   Training course.--Once each school year, a coach shall
28   complete the concussion management certification training course
29   [offered] approved by the Centers for Disease Control and
30   Prevention, the National Federation of State High School

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1   Associations or another provider approved by the Department of
2   Health. A coach shall not coach an athletic activity until the
3   coach completes the training course required under this
4   subsection.
5      * * *
6      Section 3.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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