H.B. No. 2038
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to prevention, treatment, and oversight of concussions
  affecting public school students participating in interscholastic
  athletics.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  This Act may be cited as Natasha's Law in honor
  of Natasha Helmick for her courage in advocating for the enactment
  of this Act and in honor of all other student athletes at the middle
  and high school levels.
         SECTION 2.  Chapter 38, Education Code, is amended by adding
  Subchapter D to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER D. PREVENTION, TREATMENT, AND OVERSIGHT OF CONCUSSIONS
  AFFECTING STUDENT ATHLETES
         Sec. 38.151.  DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
               (1)  "Advanced practice nurse" has the meaning assigned
  by Section 301.152, Occupations Code.
               (2)  "Athletic trainer" has the meaning assigned by
  Section 451.001, Occupations Code.
               (3)  "Coach" includes an assistant coach.
               (4)  "Concussion" means a complex pathophysiological
  process affecting the brain caused by a traumatic physical force or
  impact to the head or body, which may:
                     (A)  include temporary or prolonged altered brain
  function resulting in physical, cognitive, or emotional symptoms or
  altered sleep patterns; and
                     (B)  involve loss of consciousness.
               (5)  "Licensed health care professional" means an
  advanced practice nurse, athletic trainer, neuropsychologist, or
  physician assistant, as those terms are defined by this section.
               (6)  "Neuropsychologist" means a person who:
                     (A)  holds a license to engage in the practice of
  psychology issued under Section 501.252, Occupations Code; and
                     (B)  specializes in the practice of
  neuropsychology.
               (7)  "Open-enrollment charter school" includes a
  school granted a charter under Subchapter E, Chapter 12.
               (8)  "Physician" means a person who holds a license to
  practice medicine in this state.
               (9)  "Physician assistant" means a person who holds a
  license issued under Chapter 204, Occupations Code.
         Sec. 38.152.  APPLICABILITY. This subchapter applies to an
  interscholastic athletic activity, including practice and
  competition, sponsored or sanctioned by:
               (1)  a school district, including a home-rule school
  district, or a public school, including any school for which a
  charter has been granted under Chapter 12; or
               (2)  the University Interscholastic League.
         Sec. 38.153.  OVERSIGHT OF CONCUSSIONS BY SCHOOL DISTRICTS
  AND CHARTER SCHOOLS; RETURN-TO-PLAY PROTOCOL DEVELOPMENT BY
  CONCUSSION OVERSIGHT TEAM. (a)  The governing body of each school
  district and open-enrollment charter school with students enrolled
  who participate in an interscholastic athletic activity shall
  appoint or approve a concussion oversight team.
         (b)  Each concussion oversight team shall establish a
  return-to-play protocol, based on peer-reviewed scientific
  evidence, for a student's return to interscholastic athletics
  practice or competition following the force or impact believed to
  have caused a concussion.
         Sec. 38.154.  CONCUSSION OVERSIGHT TEAM: MEMBERSHIP. (a)  
  Each concussion oversight team must include at least one physician
  and, to the greatest extent practicable, considering factors
  including the population of the metropolitan statistical area in
  which the school district or open-enrollment charter school is
  located, district or charter school student enrollment, and the
  availability of and access to licensed health care professionals in
  the district or charter school area, must also include one or more
  of the following:
               (1)  an athletic trainer;
               (2)  an advanced practice nurse;
               (3)  a neuropsychologist; or
               (4)  a physician assistant.
         (b)  If a school district or open-enrollment charter school
  employs an athletic trainer, the athletic trainer must be a member
  of the district or charter school concussion oversight team.
         (c)  Each member of the concussion oversight team must have
  had training in the evaluation, treatment, and oversight of
  concussions at the time of appointment or approval as a member of
  the team.
         Sec. 38.155.  REQUIRED ANNUAL FORM ACKNOWLEDGING CONCUSSION
  INFORMATION. A student may not participate in an interscholastic
  athletic activity for a school year until both the student and the
  student's parent or guardian or another person with legal authority
  to make medical decisions for the student have signed a form for
  that school year that acknowledges receiving and reading written
  information that explains concussion prevention, symptoms,
  treatment, and oversight and that includes guidelines for safely
  resuming participation in an athletic activity following a
  concussion. The form must be approved by the University
  Interscholastic League.
         Sec. 38.156.  REMOVAL FROM PLAY IN PRACTICE OR COMPETITION
  FOLLOWING CONCUSSION. A student shall be removed from an
  interscholastic athletics practice or competition immediately if
  one of the following persons believes the student might have
  sustained a concussion during the practice or competition:
               (1)  a coach;
               (2)  a physician;
               (3)  a licensed health care professional; or
               (4)  the student's parent or guardian or another person
  with legal authority to make medical decisions for the student.
         Sec. 38.157.  RETURN TO PLAY IN PRACTICE OR COMPETITION.  (a)  
  A student removed from an interscholastic athletics practice or
  competition under Section 38.156 may not be permitted to practice
  or compete again following the force or impact believed to have
  caused the concussion until:
               (1)  the student has been evaluated, using established
  medical protocols based on peer-reviewed scientific evidence, by a
  treating physician chosen by the student or the student's parent or
  guardian or another person with legal authority to make medical
  decisions for the student;
               (2)  the student has successfully completed each
  requirement of the return-to-play protocol established under
  Section 38.153 necessary for the student to return to play;
               (3)  the treating physician has provided a written
  statement indicating that, in the physician's professional
  judgment, it is safe for the student to return to play; and
               (4)  the student and the student's parent or guardian or
  another person with legal authority to make medical decisions for
  the student:
                     (A)  have acknowledged that the student has
  completed the requirements of the return-to-play protocol
  necessary for the student to return to play;
                     (B)  have provided the treating physician's
  written statement under Subdivision (3) to the person responsible
  for compliance with the return-to-play protocol under Subsection
  (c) and the person who has supervisory responsibilities under
  Subsection (c); and
                     (C)  have signed a consent form indicating that
  the person signing:
                           (i)  has been informed concerning and
  consents to the student participating in returning to play in
  accordance with the return-to-play protocol;
                           (ii)  understands the risks associated with
  the student returning to play and will comply with any ongoing
  requirements in the return-to-play protocol;
                           (iii)  consents to the disclosure to
  appropriate persons, consistent with the Health Insurance
  Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (Pub. L. No. 104-191),
  of the treating physician's written statement under Subdivision (3)
  and, if any, the return-to-play recommendations of the treating
  physician; and
                           (iv)  understands the immunity provisions
  under Section 38.159.
         (b)  A coach of an interscholastic athletics team may not
  authorize a student's return to play.
         (c)  The school district superintendent or the
  superintendent's designee or, in the case of a home-rule school
  district or open-enrollment charter school, the person who serves
  the function of superintendent or that person's designee shall
  supervise an athletic trainer or other person responsible for
  compliance with the return-to-play protocol. The person who has
  supervisory responsibilities under this subsection may not be a
  coach of an interscholastic athletics team.
         Sec. 38.158.  TRAINING COURSES. (a) The University
  Interscholastic League shall approve for coaches of
  interscholastic athletic activities training courses that provide
  for not less than two hours of training in the subject matter of
  concussions, including evaluation, prevention, symptoms, risks,
  and long-term effects.  The league shall maintain an updated list of
  individuals and organizations authorized by the league to provide
  the training.
         (b)  The Department of State Health Services Advisory Board
  of Athletic Trainers shall approve for athletic trainers training
  courses in the subject matter of concussions and shall maintain an
  updated list of individuals and organizations authorized by the
  board to provide the training.
         (c)  The following persons must take a training course in
  accordance with Subsection (e) from an authorized training provider
  at least once every two years:
               (1)  a coach of an interscholastic athletic activity;
               (2)  a licensed health care professional who serves as
  a member of a concussion oversight team and is an employee,
  representative, or agent of a school district or open-enrollment
  charter school; and
               (3)  a licensed health care professional who serves on
  a volunteer basis as a member of a concussion oversight team for a
  school district or open-enrollment charter school.
         (d)  A physician who serves as a member of a concussion
  oversight team shall, to the greatest extent practicable,
  periodically take an appropriate continuing medical education
  course in the subject matter of concussions.
         (e)  For purposes of Subsection (c):
               (1)  a coach must take a course described by Subsection
  (a);
               (2)  an athletic trainer must take:
                     (A)  a course described by Subsection (b); or
                     (B)  a course concerning the subject matter of
  concussions that has been approved for continuing education credit
  by the appropriate licensing authority for the profession; and
               (3)  a licensed health care professional, other than an
  athletic trainer, must take:
                     (A)  a course described by Subsection (a) or (b);
  or
                     (B)  a course concerning the subject matter of
  concussions that has been approved for continuing education credit
  by the appropriate licensing authority for the profession.
         (f)  Each person described by Subsection (c) must submit
  proof of timely completion of an approved course in compliance with
  Subsection (e) to the school district superintendent or the
  superintendent's designee or, in the case of a home-rule school
  district or open-enrollment charter school, a person who serves the
  function of a superintendent or that person's designee.
         (g)  A licensed health care professional who is not in
  compliance with the training requirements under this section may
  not serve on a concussion oversight team in any capacity.
         Sec. 38.159.  IMMUNITY. This subchapter does not:
               (1)  waive any immunity from liability of a school
  district or open-enrollment charter school or of district or
  charter school officers or employees;
               (2)  create any liability for a cause of action against
  a school district or open-enrollment charter school or against
  district or charter school officers or employees;
               (3)  waive any immunity from liability under Section
  74.151, Civil Practice and Remedies Code; or
               (4)  create any cause of action or liability for a
  member of a concussion oversight team arising from the injury or
  death of a student participating in an interscholastic athletics
  practice or competition, based on service or participation on the
  concussion oversight team.
         Sec. 38.160.  RULES. The commissioner may adopt rules as
  necessary to administer this subchapter.
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter D, Chapter 38, Education Code, as
  added by this Act, applies beginning with the 2011-2012 school
  year.
         SECTION 4.  Notwithstanding Section 38.158(f), Education
  Code, as added by this Act, a person required under Section
  38.158(c), Education Code, as added by this Act, to take a training
  course in the subject of concussions must initially complete the
  training course not later than September 1, 2012.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2011.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 2038 was passed by the House on May 5,
  2011, by the following vote:  Yeas 127, Nays 7, 2 present, not
  voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 2038 was passed by the Senate on May
  24, 2011, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
  APPROVED:  _____________________
                     Date          
   
            _____________________
                   Governor