Kansas Statutes 72-7119. School sports head injury prevention act
Terms Used In Kansas Statutes 72-7119
- Activities: means school activities and contests in the fields of athletics, music, forensics, dramatics and any other interschool extracurricular activities by students enrolled in any of the grades from seven (7) to twelve (12), inclusive. See Kansas Statutes 72-7117
- Board of education: means the board of education of a school district and the governing authority of any accredited nonpublic school. See Kansas Statutes 72-7117
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- School district: means any public school district. See Kansas Statutes 72-7117
- State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Kansas Statutes 77-201
(a) This section shall be known and may be cited as the school sports head injury prevention act.
(b) As used in this section:
(1) “School” means any public or accredited private high school, middle school or junior high school.
(2) “Health care provider” means a person licensed by the state board of healing arts to practice medicine and surgery.
(c) The state board of education, in cooperation with the Kansas state high school activities association, shall compile information on the nature and risk of concussion and head injury including the dangers and risks associated with the continuation of playing or practicing after a person suffers a concussion or head injury. Such information shall be provided to school districts for distribution to coaches, school athletes and the parents or guardians of school athletes.
(d) A school athlete may not participate in any sport competition or practice session unless such athlete and the athlete’s parent or guardian have signed, and returned to the school, a concussion and head injury information release form. A release form shall be signed and returned each school year that a student athlete participates in sport competitions or practice sessions.
(e) If a school athlete suffers, or is suspected of having suffered, a concussion or head injury during a sport competition or practice session, such school athlete immediately shall be removed from the sport competition or practice session.
(f) Any school athlete who has been removed from a sport competition or practice session shall not return to competition or practice until the athlete is evaluated by a health care provider and the health care provider provides such athlete a written clearance to return to play or practice. If the health care provider who provides the clearance to return to play or practice is not an employee of the school district, such health care provider shall not be liable for civil damages resulting from any act or omission in the rendering of such care, other than acts or omissions constituting gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct.
(g) This section shall take effect on and after July 1, 2011.