18A:40-41.2 Athletic head injury safety training program.

2. a. The Department of Education shall work to develop and implement, by the 2011-2012 school year, an athletic head injury safety training program. The program shall be completed by a school physician, a person who coaches a public school district or nonpublic school interscholastic sport, intramural sport, or cheerleading program, and an athletic trainer involved in a public or nonpublic school interscholastic sports program, intramural sports program, or cheerleading program. The safety training program shall include, but need not be limited to, the following:

(1) the recognition of the symptoms of head and neck injuries, concussions, and injuries related to second-impact syndrome; and

(2) the appropriate amount of time to delay the return to competition or practice of a student-athlete or cheerleader who has sustained a concussion or other head injury.

b. The department shall update the safety training program as necessary to ensure that it reflects the most current information available on the nature, risk, and treatment of sports-related concussions and other head injuries.

c. The department shall develop an educational fact sheet that provides information about sports-related concussions and other head injuries. A school district or a nonpublic school that participates in an interscholastic sports program, intramural sports program, or cheerleading program shall distribute the educational fact sheet annually to the parents or guardians of student-athletes and cheerleaders and shall obtain a signed acknowledgment of the receipt of the fact sheet by the student-athlete or cheerleader and his parent or guardian.

d. As used in P.L.2010, c.94 (C.18A:40-41.1 et seq.), "student-athlete" means any student enrolled in a public or nonpublic school in this State who is a participant in an interscholastic sports program or intramural sports program organized by the school.

L.2010, c.94, s.2; amended 2011, c.168, s.1; 2017, c.105, s.1.