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H 7901School Safety

Education - School and Youth Programs Concussion Act

This bill mandates licensed athletic trainers in high schools and requires physician clearance for athletes returning from concussions.

Held for study
Population
Affected
15
Email Legislator
Introduced Feb 27, 2026Committee House Education

Plain-English Summary

This legislation amends the "School and Youth Programs Concussion Act" to strengthen safety protocols for student athletes. It mandates that school districts designate a licensed athletic trainer for every high school. It also establishes stricter return-to-play guidelines, requiring that any student athlete suspected of a concussion be removed from competition and cleared in writing by a licensed physician before returning. Additionally, the bill requires parents to sign an acknowledgement of concussion risks prior to every sports season, while removing a previous provision that encouraged baseline neuropsychological testing.

For younger readers

This law helps keep kids safe when they play sports at school. It says that every high school must have a special helper called an athletic trainer who knows how to take care of injuries. If a student gets hit in the head and might have a concussion (a brain injury), they have to stop playing right away. They cannot play again until a doctor checks them and writes a note saying they are healthy enough to return. It also makes sure parents understand the dangers of head injuries before the sports season begins.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Student athletesParents and guardiansSchool districtsAthletic trainersLicensed physicians
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost
Amount unknown
Estimated revenue
None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Mandates the presence of licensed athletic trainers in high schools, ensuring that student health and safety are prioritized over budget cuts or competitive pressure.
  • Establishes strict, medically-based return-to-play protocols that protect children from the long-term, systemic risks of traumatic brain injuries.
  • Standardizes safety requirements across districts, potentially reducing health disparities where wealthy districts previously had trainers while poorer districts did not.
  • Creates an unfunded mandate that may strain the budgets of lower-income school districts, potentially forcing cuts to other educational or social services to pay for trainers.
  • Requiring written clearance from a licensed physician may create a barrier to participation for low-income families who lack easy access to healthcare or insurance.
  • Focuses resources heavily on high schools, potentially leaving younger students in middle school or community youth programs with less protection and oversight.
For Conservatives
  • Reinforces parental rights and involvement by requiring parents to sign specific acknowledgements regarding safety risks before their children participate in sports.
  • Reduces potential liability and expensive lawsuits for taxpayers by establishing clear, state-mandated safety protocols and professional oversight.
  • Removes the bureaucratic recommendation for baseline neuropsychological testing, eliminating a potentially unnecessary procedure.
  • Imposes a significant unfunded mandate on local communities, violating the principle of local control by forcing districts to hire specific personnel regardless of budget constraints.
  • Increases government regulation over youth activities, removing discretion from coaches and parents regarding when a child is fit to play.
  • Expands the scope of the administrative state within the educational system, potentially leading to higher property taxes to cover the required staffing costs.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 7 additions · 6 deletions

SECTION 1. Section 16-91-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-91 entitled "School and Youth Programs Concussion Act" is hereby amended to read as follows: 16-91-3. School district’s guidelines to be developed and implemented.

(a) The department of education and the department of health shall work in concert with the Rhode Island Interscholastic League to develop and promulgate guidelines to inform and educate coaches, teachers, school nurses, youth athletes, and their parents and/or guardians of the nature and risk of concussion and head injury, including continuing to play after concussion or head injury. A concussion and head injury information sheet shall be signed and returned by the youth athlete and the athlete’s parent and/or guardian prior to the youth athlete’s return to practice or competition.

(b) School districts are required to use training materials made available by the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention entitled “Heads Up: Concussion in the High School Sports/Concussion in Youth Sports” and any updates or amendments thereto, or training materials substantively and substantially similar thereto. The department of education shall post training materials made available by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Rhode Island Interscholastic League on its website. All coaches and volunteers involved in a youth sport or activity covered by this chapter must complete a training course and a refresher course annually thereafter in concussions and traumatic brain injuries. All school nurses must complete a training course and an annual refresher course in concussions and traumatic brain injuries. Teachers and teachers’ aides are strongly encouraged to complete the training course in concussions and traumatic brain injuries. Training may consist of videos, classes, and any other generally accepted mode and medium of providing information.

(c) School districts are encouraged to have all student athletes perform baseline neuropsychological testing, computerized or otherwise. Parents and/or guardians shall be provided with information as to the risk of concussion and/or traumatic brain injuries prior to the start of every sport season and they shall sign an acknowledgement as to their receipt of such information.

(d) A youth student athlete, who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury in a practice or game, shall be removed from competition at that time.

(e) A youth student athlete, who has been removed from play, may not return to play until the athlete is evaluated by a licensed physician who may consult with an athletic trainer, all of whom shall be trained in the evaluation and management of concussions. The athlete must receive written clearance to return to play from that licensed physician.

(f) All school districts are encouraged to have an athletic trainer, or similarly trained person, at all recreational and athletic events addressed by this statute designated at each secondary school within a district; provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, all school districts shall be required to designate an athletic trainer licensed pursuant to chapter 60 of title 5 for each high school within its district.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.