HB3811 - Relating to youth injury mitigation and information training for coaches and youth athletics personnel.

  89R12161 PRL-D     By: Plesa H.B. No. 3811       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to youth injury mitigation and information training for   coaches and youth athletics personnel.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subtitle B, Title 13, Occupations Code, is   amended by adding Chapter 2053 to read as follows:   CHAPTER 2053. COACHES AND ATHLETICS PERSONNEL           Sec.   2053.001.     SHORT TITLE. This chapter may be cited as   the Coach Safely Act.           Sec. 2053.002.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:                 (1)     "Association" means an organization that   administers or conducts high-risk youth athletics activities on   property owned, leased, managed, or maintained by this state, an   agent of this state, or a state agency or political subdivision of   this state.                 (2)     "Athletics personnel" means athletic directors   and other persons actively involved in organizing, training, or   coaching sports activities for youth who are younger than 15 years   of age.                 (3)  "Coach" means:                       (A)     any individual, whether paid, unpaid,   volunteer, or interim, who an association approves to organize,   train, or supervise a youth athlete or team of youth athletes; or                       (B)     if an individual the association approves is   unavailable, an individual not approved by the association who is   selected as a coach by a youth athlete or a team of youth athletes.                 (4)     "High-risk youth athletics activities" means any   organized sport with a significant possibility for a youth athlete   participating in the sport to sustain a serious physical injury,   including:                       (A)  baseball;                       (B)  basketball;                       (C)  cheerleading;                       (D)  field hockey;                       (E)  football;                       (F)  ice hockey;                       (G)  lacrosse;                       (H)  soccer; and                       (I)  volleyball.                 (5)     "Youth athlete" means an individual younger than   15 years of age who participates in an organized sport.           Sec.   2053.003.     APPLICABILITY AND CONSTRUCTION OF CHAPTER.   (a) This chapter does not apply to:                 (1)  athletic trainers;                 (2)     physicians licensed to practice medicine in this   state;                 (3)  nurses licensed to practice nursing in this state;                 (4)  first responders; and                 (5)     any other health care professionals with acute   traumatic life support training.           (b)  This chapter does not:                 (1)     eliminate the involvement of athletic trainers at   youth athletic events; or                 (2)     impose any additional liability on political   subdivisions of this state.           Sec.   2053.004.     TRAINING POLICY; YOUTH INJURY MITIGATION AND   INFORMATION COURSE. (a) A youth athletics association that   sponsors or conducts sports training or high-risk youth athletics   activities for youth athletes shall adopt a policy to require all   the association's coaches and athletics personnel to complete, if   available at no cost, a youth injury mitigation and information   course on actions and measures to decrease the likelihood of a youth   athlete sustaining a serious injury while engaged or participating   in a high-risk youth athletics activity. The course may be online   or in person and must be approved by the Department of State Health   Services.           (b)     A youth injury mitigation and information course must   provide information on:                 (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; and                 (5)     heart defects and abnormalities leading to sudden   cardiac arrest and death.           (c)     A person required to complete a youth injury mitigation   and information course under this section must:                 (1)     complete the course not later than the 30th day   following the date the person becomes actively engaged in or serves   as a coach or member of the athletics personnel for an association;   and                 (2)     annually complete the course not later than the   anniversary of the date the person became actively engaged in   serving as a coach or member of the athletics personnel for an   association.           Sec.   2053.005.     RECORDS OF COURSE COMPLETION. An   association conducting a high-risk youth athletics activity or   event that requires a coach or a member of the athletics personnel   to complete a youth injury mitigation and information course under   Section 2053.004 shall maintain a record of the individual's course   completion during the period the person serves as a coach or member   of the athletics personnel for that association.           Sec.   2053.006.     IMMUNITY FROM LIABILITY. A coach or member   of the athletics personnel of an association is immune from civil   liability for any injury sustained by a youth athlete as a result of   participation in a high-risk youth athletics activity on   establishing that the coach or member:                 (1)     completed the injury mitigation and information   course required under Section 2053.004; and                 (2)     reasonably conformed their conduct to the safety   techniques and methods identified in the course.          SECTION 2.  As soon as practicable after the effective date   of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human   Services Commission shall adopt the rules necessary to implement   Chapter 2053, Occupations Code, as added by this Act.          SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.