Greater emphasis would be placed on young athletes’ well-being under legislation passed by the state House on Friday.
House Bill 284, sponsored by Rep. Jimmy Pruett, R-Eastman, would create protocols for informing parents about the dangers of concussions and for identifying and treating players with head injuries. It passed the House 161-7 and now goes to the Senate.
The debate in the House was recorded by a documentary crew making a film on concussions for the National Football League. The NFL supports the bill, part of its effort to address growing concerns about the effects of head injuries on its players.
Rep. Demetrius Douglas, D-Stockbridge, gave moving support of the bill. A former All-American linebacker at the University of Georgia, Douglas said he knows he suffered concussions during his playing career.
“This bill was nowhere to be found,” Douglas said. “I’ve had times when I lose my train of thought. … I have played with people who can’t tie their shoes.”
Under the bill, any student in a public or private k-12 school who shows signs of a concussion would be removed from practice and games and would not be able to return until a doctor says it is safe.
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