SB1700 continues its path toward the Governor’s signature. 

    See related stories in today’s Oklahoman and the Tulsa World

Below is a list of links and information relating to the proposed bill SB 1700 which was passed 6-0 by the Oklahoma Health and Human Services committee on Thursday February 18, 2010 at the State Capital. 

This proposed bill is now being presented to next step in the legislative process. It has been assigned to the House of Representatives Public Health Committee. If this committee chair chooses not to hear the bill than it will be “dead,” and we’ve come too far for this to happen. 

Please support this bill by contacting your state Representative (see below) and informing them why this legislation is critical prevention issue!  Please follow these steps TODAY to ensure that this bill continues toward the Governor’s desk:

STEP 1:  Find your STATE REPRESENTATIVE by using the following link  http://www.capitolconnect.com/oklahoma/  

STEP 2:  Is your State Representative on this list?   This is the House Public Health Committee that SB1700 Has been assigned to:
        John Trebilcock, Chair (R)
        David Derby, Vice-Chair (R)
        Lisa Billy (R)
        Ed Cannaday (D)
        Lee Denney (R)
        Larry Glenn (D)
        Rebecca Hamilton (D)
        Terry Harrison (D)
        Wes Hilliard (D)
        Corey Holland (R)
        Charlie Joyner (R)
        Ryan Kiesel (D)
        Jeannie McDaniel (D)
        Jason Nelson (R)
        Pat Ownbey (R)
        Ron Peters (R)
        Pam Peterson (R) |
        Mike Ritze (R)
        Colby Schwartz (R)
        Seneca Scott (D)
        Randy Terrill (R)
http://www.okhouse.gov/committees/Comm_CommitteeMembers.aspx?CommitteeID=74&SubcommitteeID=0

STEP 3:  If your Representative is on this list, contact them (preferably phone call/voicemail with follow up e-mail) regarding SB1700 and ask that they HEAR and SUPPORT this important measure.

STEP 4:  Pass this information on to your personal and professional networks as soon as possible.  Continued physician, parent, and school/coach  support for this bill are needed.

It is especially important that you contact the Chair and Vice-Chair at this time. As a reminder, this is a summary of the bill:

• School Districts will work with the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association to develop guidelines and informational forms to educate coaches, youth athletes, and their parents of the nature and risk of concussion and head injury
• Informed consent documents will be signed by parents and youth athletes acknowledging the risk of head injury prior to practice or competition
• Youth athletes suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury will be removed from play. “When in doubt, sit them out”
• Youth athletes who have been removed from play must receive written clearance prior to returning to play from a licensed health care provider
• It is a budget neutral bill
• It takes decisions out of coaches and parents hands and by doing so limits school liability. Again, “When in doubt, sit them out”

The actual Oklahoma bill- SB 1700 Bill

Oklahoma News Stories
KOTV Channel 6 News Video

OETA Concussion News Video

Fox 23 News Video

Channel 9 News Video
 

Groups and Associations
Zackery Lystedt Brain Project:  http://www.latimes.com/sports/football/nfl/wire/sns-ap-fbh-high-school-concussions,0,7027744.story

Group Website for Alliance for Youth Sports Safety


Articles
ESPN News article- Preventing Youth Concussions

State of California Legal Approach- California State Assembly Bill Aims to Protect Youth Athletes

CNN Article regarding Impact of Concussions- Concussions extra dangerous to teen brains

Article regarding multiple concussion young victim- Girl who sustained 11 concussions backs legislation aimed at curbing them in youth sports

Traumatic brain injury in college football game- La Salle to pay $7.5 million to brain-injured football player
 

The 2010 Youth Sports Safety Summit brought together several hundred individuals from the medical and athletic community to discuss the importance of concussion safety.

    NATA News release regarding Youth Sports Safety

    Video of Leigh Steinberg, Professional Sports Agent at Youth Sports Safety Summit  (Videos 44-54 include other members from this summit.)

    Youth Sports Safety Summit in Sacramento

    NATA Youth Sports Safety Summit

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Send mail to matthew.obrien@okstate.edu with questions or comments about this web site.
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