Max’s Law awaits governor’s signature
Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 5:33 pm
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.”
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.”