Max’s Law awaits governor’s signature

[5$]

From: http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/si ... /story.csp

The Oregon House of Representatives gave its approval Friday, by a 47-0 vote, to Senate Bill 348, also known as “Max’s Law.”

The Senate also unanimously passed the bill, 29-0, in April.

Named for Max Conradt, who sustained a traumatic brain injury playing football at Waldport High School in 2001, the proposed law that now awaits the governor’s signature restricts the return of student athletes to practice or games when they show signs of a concussion. It would also require annual training of coaches in every school sport, not just football, on how to recognize concussion symptoms and get proper medical treatment for athletes with such symptoms.

SB 348 originally had a requirement that school districts retire football helmets after 10 years, when they become less protective and when manufacturers’ warranties expire. But that portion was removed after some legislators said they didn’t want school districts to incur additional expenses.

“I think we ultimately need to get a helmet retirement requirement into law,” said Sen. Bill Morrisette, D-Springfield, who is sponsoring the bill on behalf of the Brain Injury Association of Oregon. “And in the meantime, I hope the increased awareness that this bill has created will motivate districts to at least insist on closer inspection of helmets.”

[Oregonian]

I don't know of any school in the state that doesn't already do this to protect themselves for liability's sake.

[nogerO]

From: http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/si ... /story.csp

The Oregon House of Representatives gave its approval Friday, by a 47-0 vote, to Senate Bill 348, also known as “Max’s Law.”

The Senate also unanimously passed the bill, 29-0, in April.

Named for Max Conradt, who sustained a traumatic brain injury playing football at Waldport High School in 2001, the proposed law that now awaits the governor’s signature restricts the return of student athletes to practice or games when they show signs of a concussion. It would also require annual training of coaches in every school sport, not just football, on how to recognize concussion symptoms and get proper medical treatment for athletes with such symptoms.

SB 348 originally had a requirement that school districts retire football helmets after 10 years, when they become less protective and when manufacturers’ warranties expire. But that portion was removed after some legislators said they didn’t want school districts to incur additional expenses.

“I think we ultimately need to get a helmet retirement requirement into law,” said Sen. Bill Morrisette, D-Springfield, who is sponsoring the bill on behalf of the Brain Injury Association of Oregon. “And in the meantime, I hope the increased awareness that this bill has created will motivate districts to at least insist on closer inspection of helmets.”

More meddling/legislating where it needs not be. More waste of taxpayers money if you ask me.

[wheaton4prez]

I'm about as conservative as it gets when it comes to government and wasting tax-payers dollars. But, I don't see what the down-side is on this one.

Ideally, government wouldn't be running our schools so that those that don't keep kids safe would be held accountable by consumers. However, the government is running our schools. So, if they are doing something that endangers kids and it's a danger not reasonably known by parents sending them there, something needs to be done about it. Improving an agency that is already a public institution is not increased government meddling. It's just us making them do it right.