H.B. No. 961
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the membership and training course requirements of a
  public school concussion oversight team and the removal of a public
  school student from an interscholastic athletic activity on the
  basis of a suspected concussion.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 38.154, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:
         (b-1)  If a school district or open-enrollment charter
  school employs a school nurse, the school nurse may be a member of
  the district or charter school concussion oversight team if
  requested by the school nurse.
         SECTION 2.  Section 38.156, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         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;
               (4)  a person licensed under Chapter 201, Occupations
  Code; [or]
               (5)  a school nurse; or
               (6)  the student's parent or guardian or another person
  with legal authority to make medical decisions for the student.
         SECTION 3.  Sections 38.158(c), (e), and (g), Education
  Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (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 school nurse who serves as a member of a
  concussion oversight team;
               (3)  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
               (4) [(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.
         (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 school nurse or 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.
         (g)  A school nurse or 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.
         SECTION 4.  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, 2019.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 961 was passed by the House on April
  16, 2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 136, Nays 0, 1 present, not
  voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 961 was passed by the Senate on May
  20, 2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 1.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
  APPROVED:  _____________________
                     Date          
   
            _____________________
                   Governor