Sponsors (5)
The bill standardizes and strengthens school concussion protections, training, and educational supports to improve student safety and recovery, but it imposes new administrative costs, provider‑access and clearance requirements, potential liability expansion, and financial penalties that could strain schools, families, and state budgets.
Students will receive clearer, standardized concussion protections at school: suspected concussions must be recognized under a common definition, students removed immediately from play, and same‑day return prohibited.
Students recovering from concussions will get academic supports (cognitive rest, modified assignments, gradual reintroduction) so learning can continue while symptoms resolve.
Parents and school staff will get standardized, science‑based information on concussion risks, signs, and required actions, improving recognition and timeliness of care.
States that fail to adopt required concussion laws risk losing 5–10% of ESEA funds, which could reduce K–12 resources and force difficult budget tradeoffs for many schools and students.
Schools and local districts will face increased administrative, training, monitoring, documentation, and website‑posting burdens and costs to stand up concussion teams and comply with new requirements.
Families may face out‑of‑pocket costs or access barriers because a written medical release from a qualified health care professional is required before return to play.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Introduced February 17, 2026 by Mark James Desaulnier · Last progress February 17, 2026
Requires each State that receives federal elementary and secondary education funds to adopt or issue concussion policies for schools if the State does not already meet the Act's standards. Policies must ensure education and training, visible concussion information, immediate removal from school‑sponsored athletic activity when concussion is suspected, a written health‑care release before return to play, and academic supports and recovery plans; States that fail to comply by the deadline face percentage reductions in their ESEA funds. Also preserves existing civil and criminal liability rules and defines key terms such as concussion, health care professional, local educational agency, related services personnel, and school‑sponsored athletic activity.