A very interesting article in Education Week tackles the issue of concussion laws. According to the article, only 11 states had a concussion law on the books at this time last year. This year, North Carolina was one of 20 states and the District of Columbia to pass legislation that establishes an athletic concussion safety training program for middle and high school student-athletes.
House Bill 792 (S.L. 2011-147), The Gfeller?Waller Concussion Awareness Act, was a bipartisan bill that establishes rules and procedures for interscholastic athletic activities, including
(1) Written information detailing the recognition of the signs and symptoms of concussions and other head injuries.
(2) A description of the physiology and the potential short?term and long?term effects of concussions and other head injuries.
(3) The medical return?to?play protocol for postconcussion participation in interscholastic athletic activities.
Representatives Dale Folwell (R-Forsyth), Bill Cook (R-Beaufort, Pitt), Chuck McGrady (R-Henderson), and Rick Glazier (D-Cumberland) were the primary sponsors of The Gfeller?Waller Concussion Awareness Act and should be commended for their attention to this important issue.
