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SB26-060 • 2026

Mental Health Training in Concussion Education

The bill requires a coach of an organized a youth athletic activity to take an annual a biennial mental health education course and inform parents or guardians of a youth athlete who sustains a concus

Children Education Healthcare Parental Rights
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Sen. L. Daugherty, Sen. R. Pelton, Rep. E. Hamrick, Rep. T. Winter, Sen. M. Ball, Sen. A. Benavidez, Sen. S. Bright, Sen. J. Carson, Sen. J. Coleman, Sen. L. Cutter, Sen. T. Exum, Sen. L. Frizell, Sen. J. Gonzales, Sen. N. Hinrichsen, Sen. I. Jodeh, Sen. C. Kipp, Sen. C. Kolker, Sen. W. Lindstedt, Sen. L. Liston, Sen. J. Marchman, Sen. K. Mullica, Sen. D. Roberts, Sen. R. Rodriguez, Sen. M. Snyder, Sen. K. Wallace, Sen. M. Weissman
Last action
2026-03-18
Official status
Senate Third Reading Passed with Amendments - Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide information on whether the coach is protected from civil liability.

Mental Health Training for Youth Sports Coaches

This bill requires youth sports coaches to take a mental health education course every two years and inform parents if their child athlete sustains a concussion.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires youth athletic activity coaches to complete a biennial mental health education course.
  • Includes information on the relationship between concussions and mental health in the required courses.
  • Informs parents or guardians when a youth athlete has sustained a concussion, advising them to seek medical evaluation from a licensed healthcare provider.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Coaches of organized youth athletic activities
  • Parents and legal guardians of youth athletes

Terms To Know

Biennial
Every two years
Licensed health-care provider
A doctor or other medical professional who is legally allowed to practice medicine.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify the exact content of the mental health education courses.
  • It remains unclear if and when a referendum petition will be filed against this act, which could delay its implementation.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

L.005

HOU Health & Human Services

Passed [*]

Plain English: The amendment changes the requirement for coaches to take a mental health education course from annually to every two years and adds conditions under which certain youth athletes' parents or guardians must be informed.

  • Changes the frequency of required mental health education courses for coaches from annual to biennial (every two years).
  • Adds new language requiring coaches to inform parents or guardians if a youth athlete sustains a concussion and is not entitled to protections under subsection (4) of the bill.
  • The amendment's text does not provide full details on what specific protections are referred to in subsection (4), which may require additional context for complete understanding.
L.001

SEN Health & Human Services

Passed [*]

Plain English: The amendment changes the frequency of mental health education courses for coaches from annual to biennial and adds protections against civil liability for good faith compliance with requirements.

  • Changes the requirement for coaches to take a mental health course annually to every two years (biennially).
  • Adds protection for coaches who act in good faith to comply with the law, shielding them from civil liability unless their actions amount to gross negligence or willful misconduct.
  • The amendment text does not provide details on how the changes will be implemented or enforced.
  • It is unclear what specific mental health education courses coaches must take and who provides these courses.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-17 House

    House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee

  2. 2026-04-15 House

    House Committee on Health & Human Services Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole

  3. 2026-03-19 House

    Introduced In House - Assigned to Health & Human Services

  4. 2026-03-18 Senate

    Senate Third Reading Passed with Amendments - Committee

  5. 2026-03-18 Senate

    Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments

  6. 2026-03-17 Senate

    Senate Second Reading Passed - No Amendments

  7. 2026-03-17 Senate

    Senate Second Reading Passed with Amendments - Committee

  8. 2026-03-12 Senate

    Senate Committee on Health & Human Services Refer Amended - Consent Calendar to Senate Committee of the Whole

  9. 2026-01-28 Senate

    Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Health & Human Services

Official Summary Text

The bill requires a coach of
an organized

a
youth athletic activity to take
an annual

a biennial
mental health education course
and inform parents or guardians of a youth athlete who sustains a concussion of possible changes in mental health as a result of a concussion

regarding a coach's impact on the mental health of youth athletes, a wellness framework for youth athletes, stress, anxiety disorders, depression, trauma, substance abuse, and suicide prevention.

The bill requires that a coach of a youth athletic activity, or other designated personnel, inform parents or guardians of a youth athlete who has sustained a possible concussion to seek an evaluation from a licensed health-care provider for appropriate medical guidance regarding potential physical, cognitive, or psychological symptoms associated with a concussion.
The bill requires the concussion recognition education course for
coaches of
youth athletic
coaches in middle, junior, and high schools

activities
to include information
on

regarding
the relationship between concussions and mental health.
(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)
(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
Second Regular Session
Seventy-fifth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
REVISED
This Version Includes All Amendments Adopted
on Second Reading in the Second House
LLS NO. 26-0341.02 Veronica Parish x2606 SENATE BILL 26-060
Senate Committees House Committees
Health & Human Services Health & Human Services
A BILL FOR AN ACT
CONCERNING INFORMATION ABOUT YOUTH ATHLETE MENTAL HEALTH101
TRAINING, AND , IN CONNECTION THEREWITH , REQUIRING102
MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING FOR YOUTH SPORTS COACHES AND103
REQUIRING THE COACHES TO NOTIFY PARENTS OF POSSIBLE104
MENTAL HEALTH RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH CONCUSSIONS.105
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does
not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill
passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that
applies to the reengrossed version of this bill w ill be available at
http://leg.colorado.gov.)
The bill requires a coach of an organized youth athletic activity to
take an annual mental health education course and inform parents or
HOUSE
Amended 2nd Reading
April 17, 2026
SENATE
3rd Reading Unamended
March 18, 2026
SENATE
Amended 2nd Reading
March 17, 2026
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Pelton R. and Daugherty, Ball, Benavidez, Bright, Carson, Coleman, Cutter, Exum,
Frizell, Gonzales J., Hinrichsen, Jodeh, Kipp, Kolker, Lindstedt, Liston, Marchman, Mullica,
Roberts, Rodriguez, Snyder, Wallace, Weissman
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Winter T. and Hamrick,
Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.
Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing law.
Dashes through the words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law.
guardians of a youth athlete who sustains a concussion of possible
changes in mental health as a result of a concussion.
The bill requires the concussion recognition education course for
youth athletic coaches in middle, junior, and high schools to include
information on the relationship between concussions and mental health.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add part 2 to article2
43 of title 25 as follows:3
PART 24
YOUTH ATHLETIC COACH5
MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION6
25-43-201. Short title.7
THE SHORT TITLE OF THIS PART 2 IS "ALYSSA'S YOUTH8
CONCUSSION AND MENTAL HEALTH PROTECTION ACT" OR "ALYSSA'S9
ACT".10
25-43-202. Definitions.11
AS USED IN THIS PART 2, UNLESS THE CONTEXT OTHERWISE12
REQUIRES:13
(1) "PUBLIC RECREATION FACILITY" HAS THE MEANING SET FORTH14
IN SECTION 25-43-102.15
(2) "YOUTH ATHLETIC ACTIVITY" HAS THE MEANING SET FORTH IN16
SECTION 25-43-102.17
25-43-203. Organized school athletic activities - mental health18
guidelines required.19
(1) (a) EACH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE MIDDLE SCHOOL, JUNIOR HIGH20
SCHOOL, AND HIGH SCHOOL SHALL REQUIRE EACH COACH OF A YOUTH21
ATHLETIC ACTIVITY TO COMPLETE A BIENNIAL MENTAL HEALTH22
EDUCATION COURSE.23
060-2-
(b) E ACH PRIVATE CLUB OR PUBLIC RECREATION FACILITY AND1
EACH ATHLETIC LEAGUE THAT SPONSORS YOUTH ATHLETIC ACTIVITIES2
SHALL REQUIRE EACH COACH WITH WHOM A CLUB, FACILITY, OR LEAGUE3
DIRECTLY CONTRACTS WITH, FORMALLY ENGAGES, OR EMPLOYS TO COACH4
A YOUTH ATHLETIC ACTIVITY TO COMPLETE A BIENNIAL MENTAL HEALTH5
EDUCATION COURSE.6
(2) (a) T HE MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION COURSE REQUIRED BY7
SUBSECTION (1) OF THIS SECTION MUST INCLUDE INFORMATION8
REGARDING THE FOLLOWING:9
(I) A COACH 'S IMPACT ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF YOUTH10
ATHLETES;11
(II) A WELLNESS FRAMEWORK FOR YOUTH ATHLETES;12
(III) STRESS, ANXIETY DISORDERS, AND DEPRESSION;13
(IV) TRAUMA;14
(V) SUBSTANCE ABUSE; AND15
(VI) SUICIDE PREVENTION.16
17
(b) T HE MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION COURSE MAY BE HELD IN18
CONJUNCTION WITH THE CONCUSSION RECOGNITION EDUCATION COURSE19
REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SECTION 25-43-103 (1)(a).20
(c) A N ORGANIZATION OR ASSOCIATION THAT A SCHOOL OR21
SCHOOL DISTRICT IS A MEMBER OF MAY DESIGNATE SPECIFIC EDUCATION22
COURSES AS SUFFICIENT TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS DESCRIBED IN23
SUBSECTION (1) OF THIS SECTION.24
(3) I F A YOUTH ATHLETE IS REMOVED FROM PLAY FOR A25
SUSPECTED CONCUSSION, THE YOUTH ATHLETE 'S COACH OR THE CLUB 'S,26
LEAGUE'S, OR PUBLIC RECREATION FACILITY 'S OTHER DESIGNATED27
060-3-
PERSONNEL SHALL NOTIFY THE ATHLETE'S PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN1
AND ADVISE THAT THE ATHLETE SEEK EVALUATION FROM A LICENSED2
HEALTH-CARE PROVIDER FOR APPROPRIATE MEDICAL AND BEHAVIORAL3
HEALTH GUIDANCE REGARDING POTENTIAL PHYSICAL , COGNITIVE , OR4
PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS ASSOCIATED WITH A CONCUSSION.5
(4) N OTHING IN THIS PART 2 ABROGATES OR LIMITS THE6
PROTECTIONS APPLICABLE TO PUBLIC ENTITIES AND PUBLIC EMPLOYEES7
ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO THE "COLORADO GOVERNMENTAL IMMUNITY8
ACT", ARTICLE 10 OF TITLE 24; VOLUNTEERS AND BOARD MEMBERS AND9
NONPROFIT DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, AND TRUSTEES DESCRIBED PURSUANT10
TO SECTIONS 13-21-115.7 AND 13-21-116; OR SKI AREA OPERATORS11
PROTECTED PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 33-44-112 AND 33-44-113.12
(5) AN ATHLETIC COACH OF A YOUTH ATHLETIC ACTIVITY WHO IS13
NOT ENTITLED TO ANY OF THE PROTECTIONS PRESERVED IN SUBSECTION14
(4) OF THIS SECTION AND WHO ACTS IN GOOD FAITH TO COMPLY WITH THE15
REQUIREMENTS OF THIS PART 2 IS NOT SUBJECT TO CIVIL LIABILITY FOR16
ANY ACT OR OMISSION RELATED TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PART17
2 UNLESS THE ACT OR OMISSION CONSTITUTES GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR18
WILLFUL AND WANTON MISCONDUCT.19
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, amend 25-43-101 as20
follows:21
25-43-101. Short title.22
This article PART 1 shall be known and may be cited as the "Jake23
Snakenberg Youth Concussion Act".24
SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 25-43-102, amend25
the introductory portion as follows:26
25-43-102. Definitions.27
060-4-
As used in this article 43 PART 1, unless the context otherwise1
requires:2
SECTION 4. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 25-43-103, amend3
(5) as follows:4
25-43-103. Organized school athletic activities - concussion5
guidelines required.6
7
(5) Nothing in this article PART 1 abrogates or limits the8
protections applicable to public entities and public employees pursuant to9
the "Colorado Governmental Immunity Act", article 10 of title 24; C.R.S.;10
volunteers and board members pursuant to sections 13-21-115.7 and11
13-21-116; C.R.S.; or ski area operators pursuant to sections 33-44-11212
and 33-44-113. C.R.S.13
SECTION 5. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act14
takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the15
ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly (August16
12, 2026, if adjournment sine die is on May 13, 2026); except that, if a17
referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the18
state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act19
within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect20
unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in21
November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the22
official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.23
060-5-