HB 9

Relating to youth sports programs; to require any unpaid or volunteer coach or trainer associated with a youth athletics association of the state, or a political subdivision of the state, that sponsors or conducts any high risk youth athletics activity where there is a likelihood that a child or youth can sustain a serious injury be required to take a course to reduce the likelihood of a child being injured

Section 1

This act shall be known and may be cited as the Coach Safety Act.

Section 2

For the purposes of this act, the following terms shall have the following meanings: (1) ASSOCIATION. Any organization that administers or conducts high risk youth athletics activities on property owned, leased, managed, or maintained by the state, an agent of the state, or a political subdivision of the state. (2) ATHLETICS PERSONNEL. Coaching personnel, athletic directors, Athletic directorsand other individuals actively involved in organizing, conducting, training, or coaching sports activities for individuals age 14 and under. (3) COACH. Any individual, whether paid, unpaid, volunteer, or interim, who has been approved by the association to organize, train, or supervise a youth athlete HB9 or team of youth athletes. If an individual approved by the association is unavailable, the term may include an individual selected by a youth athlete or a team of youth athletes who has not been approved by the association. (3) (4) HIGH RISK YOUTH ATHLETIC ACTIVITIES. Any organized sport in which there is a significant possibility for a youth athlete to sustain a serious physical injury, including, but not limited to, the sports of football, basketball, baseball, volleyball, soccer, ice or field hockey, cheerleading, and lacrosse. (4) (5) YOUTH ATHLETE. Individuals age 14 and under participating in an organized sport.

Section 3

(a) Any state or political subdivision of a state affiliated youth athletics association that sponsors or conducts sports training or high risk youth athletic activities for children age 14 years and younger shall require all unpaid or volunteer coaches and athletics personnel to complete an online or residence course approved by the Department of Public Health, if available at no cost, which provides him or her with information and awareness of actions and measures that may be used to decrease the likelihood that a youth athlete will sustain a serious injury while engaged or participating in a high risk youth athletics activity. HB9 (b) Youth athletics activities under this section include organized sports activities conducted by either of the following: (1) Public and private schools under the Interscholastic Athletic Association. (2) Any youth athletics association that conducts youth athletics events at any facility, field, gymnasium, park, or other property owned, leased, operated, or maintained by the state or any political subdivision of the state. (c) (b) Any youth injury mitigating and information course required to be taken by an unpaid or volunteer a coach or trainer athletics personnel under this section, at a minimum, shall provide information on the following subjects: (1) Emergency preparedness, planning, and rehearsal for traumatic injuries. (2) Concussions and head trauma. (3) Heat and extreme weather related injury familiarization. (4) Physical conditioning and training equipment usage. (5) Heart defects and abnormalities leading to sudden cardiac health death. (d) (c) Any youth injury mitigating and information course required to be completed by an unpaid or volunteer a HB9 coach or trainer athletics personnel under this section shall be at no cost to the individual. (e)(d) (c) Any individual required to take an injury mitigating course under this section shall complete the course within 30 days of becoming actively engaged in, or serving as, an athletic trainer athletics personnel or coach for the association. (f)(e) (d) Any state or political subdivision of a state affiliated youth athletic association that conducts high risk youth athletic activities or events that requires unpaid or volunteer coaches and trainers athletics personnel to complete an injury mitigating course under this section shall maintain a record of individual course completion for as long as that individual serves as athletic personnel or coach for the association. (g)(f) (e) The course requirement under this section shall be an annual requirement to be completed not later than the anniversary of the date on which the individual became actively engaged in serving as athletic personnel or coach for the association. (h)(g) (f) All licensed and certified athletic trainers, doctors, nurses, first responders, and health care professionals with acute traumatic life support training shall be exempt from the course requirement under this section. HB9 (i)(h) (g) This act may not be construed to eliminate the involvement of athletic trainers at youth athletic events. (j) This act shall not be construed to impose any new liability or new requirements upon political subdivisions of the state. (i) This act shall not be construed to impose any additional liability upon political subdivisions of this state. (j) (i) Athletics personnel and coaches are considered volunteers under subsection (d) of Section 6-5-336, Code of Alabama 1975, if the actions were taken in good faith and consistent with generally accepted techniques and methods in reducing serious injuries during high risk youth athletics activity. (j) (k) Athletics personnel who complete an online or residence course under this act shall be exempt from liability under the good samaritan law. (j) Athletics personnel and coaches shall be entitled to a defense from liability for any injury sustained by a youth athlete as a result of participation in a high risk youth athletic activity upon establishing (1) that they completed the injury mitigation and information course described in Section 3(a) and (2) that they reasonably HB9 conformed their conduct to the safety techniques and methods identified in such injury mitigation and information course. (k) The Department of Public Health shall within 180 days of enactment of this Act adopt rules, not inconsistent with this Act, for purposes of implementing, enforcing, and administering this Act.

Section 4

This act shall become effective on the first day of the third month following its passage and approval by the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law. effective date of rules adopted by the Department of Public Health under subsection 3(k) of this Act. HB9 Speaker of the House of Representatives President and Presiding Officer of the Senate House of Representatives I hereby certify that the within Act originated in and was passed by the House 30-JAN-18 and was passed again as amended by Executive Amendment 21-MAR-18. Jeff Woodard Clerk Senate 08-MAR-18 Passed Passed, as amended by Senate 22-MAR-18 Executive Amendment Yeas 29, Nays 0, Ab- stains