Laws and Rules

Rhode Island's youth sports concussion safety law took effect on July 7, 2010.

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson signed arguably the country's toughest youth sports concussion safety law on June 1, 2010.

Virginia's youth sports concussion safety law was signed by Governor Bob McDonnell on April 11, 2010 and will become effective July 1, 2011.

Oklahoma's youth sports concussion safety statute, signed into law on May 14, 2010, is modeled on Washington's Zackery Lystedt Law.

Key provisions of Oregon's youth sports concussion safety law.

To help educate coaches, parents, players and officials, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) offers a  free online concussion safety course called "Concussion in Sports - What You Need to Know." To date, more than 47,000 persons have registered and completed the NFHS Coach Education course, which is available at www.nfhslearn.com

In May 2009, Washington State enacted the Zackery Lystedt Law, becoming the first state in the nation to enact a comprehensive youth sports concussion safety law. Forty-two states have since followed Washington's lead in passing strong concussion safety laws.

The concussion identification, management and return-to-play policy statement of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) is among the strictest in the country, requiring a 12-day minimum return-to-play waiting period for any athlete suspected of having suffered a concussion.

A panel of renowned medical experts in the field of sports related concussion both praised and criticized the recent concussion policy introduced by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) at a sports concussion summit.

In addition to the twenty-five states that have passed youth sports concussion safety laws, new concussion safety rules have been enacted both by the National Federation of High School Associations (NFHS) and by individual state high school athletic associations in a number of states, including California, Delaware, Georgia, Michigan, New Jersey and Tennessee.