Lawmaker Calls for New Rules on Concussions to Protect Young Athletes

Worried about the impact of concussions on young athletes, Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski, D-New City, is calling for a law requiring new safeguards for high school students participating in contact sports.

"We need to start getting serious about concussions in sports by instituting strict standards that make our athletes safer," said Zebrowski.  "This legislation is about ensuring we have the tools necessary to protect our kids from long term health consequences."

Zebrowski said Monday he plans on introducing legislation to help schools handle concussions in high school sports by requiring high school students participating in a contact sport to use neurocognitive assessment tools to manage head injuries. This will track the progression of an athlete post-concussion to prevent any further damage.

After suffering a concussion an athlete will have to meet or exceed their baseline testing score and be cleared by a physician to return to athletic competition, according to Zebrowski's proposal.

This law would also require coaches of contact sports to receive concussion training that includes identifying a head injury and post-injury protocol, Zebrowski said.

Zebrowski said he was motivated to propose the new rules for high school students by reports from the Center for Injury Research and Policy stating that between 1997 and 2007 head injuries increased by more than 70 percent while overall injuries fell 22 percent.

Zebrowski, who was re-elected on Nov. 2, represents Clarkstown, Haverstraw and part of Ramapo.