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AB-3047 Youth athletics: chronic traumatic encephalopathy.(2023-2024)



Current Version: 04/17/24 - Amended Assembly

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AB3047:v97#DOCUMENT

Amended  IN  Assembly  April 17, 2024
Amended  IN  Assembly  March 21, 2024

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 3047

Introduced by Assembly Member McCarty

February 16, 2024

An act to add and repeal Section 124244 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to youth athletics.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 3047, as amended, McCarty. Youth athletics: chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
Under the California Youth Football Act, a youth sports organization, as defined, that conducts a tackle football program must comply with certain requirements, including, among other things, having a licensed medical professional, which may include a state-licensed emergency medical technician, paramedic, or higher-level licensed medical professional, present during games.
Until July 1, 2027, January 1, 2028, this bill would require the Surgeon General to convene a Commission on Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy and Youth Tackle Football to investigate issues related to the risks of brain injury associated with participation in youth tackle football, and to provide recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature on strategies to reduce those health risks, including the minimum appropriate age for participation in youth tackle football. The bill would require the commission to request youth sports injury information from youth tackle football leagues, which would be shared on a voluntary basis. The bill would require the Surgeon General to publish a report on their internet website on or before January July 1, 2027, with the findings of the commission.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) a degenerative brain disease that can be definitively diagnosed only after death.
(b) According to the National Institutes of Health, CTE is caused in part by repeated traumatic brain injuries like those suffered in contact sports and military service.
(c) More American football players have been diagnosed with CTE than athletes in all other sports combined, worldwide.
(d) According to Boston University, the odds of developing CTE are correlated with the number and strength of repeated head impacts, which in turn is correlated with the number of years an athlete participates in a sport.
(e) Helmet sensor studies that measure linear head acceleration show the average head impact to a youth tackle football player is the same as the average head impact to a college football player.
(f) A study by the federal Centers for Disease Control reported that youth tackle football athletes, 6 to 14 years of age, sustained 15 times more head impacts and 23 times more high-magnitude head impacts (hard head impacts) than flag football athletes during practices and games.
(g) CTE can cause mood and behavioral symptoms, including impulse control problems, aggression, depression, and paranoia.
(h) CTE pathology is correlated with problems with memory and cognition, including dementia, and may contribute to neurobehavioral symptoms.

SEC. 2.

 Section 124244 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:

124244.
 (a) As used in this section, “commission” means the Commission on Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy and Youth Tackle Football established pursuant to this section.
(b) The Surgeon General shall convene a Commission on Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy and Youth Tackle Football to investigate issues related to the risks of brain injury associated with participation in youth tackle football, and to provide recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature on strategies to reduce those health risks, including the minimum appropriate age for participation in youth tackle football.
(c) The commission shall be led by the Surgeon General and shall consist of members selected by the Surgeon General, and shall include, but not be limited to, members with expertise in public health, neuroscience, neurology, pediatrics, or other relevant fields.
(d) The commission shall review, investigate, and analyze issues relating to the risk of brain injury associated with participation in youth football, including all of the following:
(1) The risk of concussion, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), or other brain injury from participation in youth tackle football, including subconcussive head trauma and repetitive head impacts.
(2) The short- and long-term health consequences of concussion, CTE, or other brain injury in youth.
(3) How the risks and health consequences described in paragraphs (1) and (2) vary with the age of, and the duration of participation by, the youth tackle football participant.
(e) The commission may shall request youth sports injury information described in Section 124242 from youth tackle football leagues, which shall be shared on a voluntary basis.
(f) On or before January July 1, 2027, the Surgeon General shall publish a report on their internet website on the findings of the commission, including recommendations on both of the following issues:
(1) The appropriate minimum age for participation in youth tackle football.
(2) Best practices for minimizing the risk of concussion, CTE, subconcussive trauma, repetitive head impacts, or other brain injury in youth tackle football.
(g) This section shall remain in effect only until July 1, 2027, January 1, 2028, and as of that date is repealed.