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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0961*
HOUSE BILL 961
F1 6lr2895
By: Delegate Miller
Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2026
Assigned to: Ways and Means
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Public Schools and Youth Sports Programs – Concussion Protocol – Alterations 2
FOR the purpose of requiring the State Department of Education to include athletic 3
officials in certain policies and in a certain program to provide awareness on a certain 4
concussion protocol for certain public school and youth sports programs; establishing 5
that certain individuals may remove a student from play and prevent a student from 6
returning to play under certain circumstances; authorizing a person to bring a 7
certain action for declaratory relief to enforce certain provisions of law; and generally 8
relating to a concussion protocol for public school and youth sports programs. 9
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 10
Article – Education 11
Section 7–433 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 14
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 15
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 16
Article – Education 17
7–433. 18
(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 19
(2) “ATHLETIC OFFICIAL” MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO OFFICIATES A 20
SPORTS CONTEST FOR COMPENSATION OR AS A VOLUNTEER. 21
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[(2)] (3) “Concussion” means a traumatic injury to the brain causing an 1
immediate and, usually, short –lived change in mental status or an alteration of normal 2
consciousness resulting from: 3
(i) A fall; 4
(ii) A violent blow to the head or body; or 5
(iii) The shaking or spinning of the head or body. 6
[(3)] (4) “Youth sports program” means a program organ ized for 7
recreational athletic competition or instruction for participants who are under the age of 8
19 years. 9
(b) (1) The Department shall develop policies and implement a program to 10
provide awareness to ATHLETIC OFFICIALS, coaches, school personnel, students, and the 11
parents or guardians of students, in collaboration with the Maryland Department of 12
Health, each county board, the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association, 13
the Maryland Athletic Trainers’ Association, the Brain Injury Association of Maryland, and 14
representatives of licensed health care providers who treat concussions, on: 15
(i) The nature and risk of a concussion or head injury; 16
(ii) The criteria for removal from and return to play ESTABLISHED 17
UNDER THIS SECTION; 18
(iii) The risks of not reporting injury and continuing to play; and 19
(iv) Appropriate academic accommodations for students diagnosed as 20
having sustained a concussion or head injury. 21
(2) The program shall include a process to verify that [a coach has ] 22
ATHLETIC OFFICIALS AND COACHES HAVE received information on the program 23
developed under paragraph (1) of this subsection. 24
(3) (i) Before a student enrolled in a public school system in the State 25
may participate in an authorized interscholastic athletic activity, the county board shall 26
provide a concussion and head injury information sheet to the student and a parent or 27
guardian of the student. 28
(ii) The student and the parent or guardian of the student shall sign 29
a statement acknowledging receipt of the information sheet. 30
(iii) The Department shall create the information sheet and 31
acknowledgment statement required under this paragraph. 32
HOUSE BILL 961 3
(4) The Department may use materials available from the Centers for 1
Disease Control and Prevention, the Brain Injury Association of Maryland, or any other 2
appropriate entity to carry out the requirements of this subsection. 3
(c) (1) A student who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or other head 4
injury in a practice or game shall be removed from play at that time. 5
(2) A student who has been removed from play may not return to play until 6
the student has obtained written clearance from a licensed health care provider trained in 7
the evaluation and management of concussions. 8
(D) (1) THE FOLLOWING INDIVID UALS MAY IMMEDIATELY REMOVE A 9
STUDENT FROM PLAY IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBSECTION (C)(1) OF THIS SECTION 10
OR PREVENT A STUDENT FROM RETURNING TO PL AY IN ACCORDANCE WIT H 11
SUBSECTION (C)(2) OF THIS SECTION: 12
(I) AN ATHLETIC OFFICIAL; 13
(II) A COACH; 14
(III) SCHOOL PERSONNEL; OR 15
(IV) A PARENT OR GUARDIAN OF THE STUDENT. 16
(2) A PERSON MAY NOT ESTABLISH A REGULATION, RULE, POLICY, OR 17
PRACTICE OR PROVIDE FORMAL, INFORMAL, WRITTEN, OR ORAL GUIDANCE, 18
INCLUDING ANY PART OF A TRAINING, TO RESTRICT OR DIMINISH AN INDIVIDUAL’S 19
AUTHORITY UNDER THIS SUB SECTION OR TO DETER AN INDIVIDUAL FROM 20
LAWFULLY EXERCISING THE INDIVIDUAL’S AUTHORITY UNDER THIS SUBSECTION. 21
[(d)] (E) (1) Before an individual participates in an authorized athletic 22
activity on school property, the county board shall provide, or require that a third party 23
provide: 24
(i) Information on concussions and head injuries to the individual 25
and, if applicable, a parent or guardian of the individual; and 26
(ii) Notice that acknowledgment of the receipt of the information by 27
the individual and, if applicable, the parent or guardian of the individual, is required. 28
(2) The information required under paragraph (1) of this subsection shal l 29
be in the form of: 30
(i) A separate information sheet; or 31
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(ii) A notice on the registration form for a youth sports program 1
stating that information on concussion and head injury is available, including directions on 2
how to receive the information electronically. 3
(3) The individual and, if applicable, the parent or guardian of the 4
individual shall: 5
(i) Acknowledge receipt of the information by: 6
1. Signature; 7
2. Checking an acknowledgment box on the registration 8
form; or 9
3. Another method of written or electronic acknowledgment; 10
and 11
(ii) Return the acknowledgment to the county board or third party. 12
[(e)] (F) A youth sports program that uses a public school facility shall provide 13
annually to the county board or the board’s agent a statement of intent to comply for all of 14
its athletic activities with the requirements for the management of a concussion or other 15
head injury of a participant under this section. 16
(G) A PERSON MAY BRING AN ACTION FOR DECLARATORY RELI EF IN 17
ACCORDANCE WITH THE MARYLAND UNIFORM DECLARATORY JUDGMENTS ACT TO 18
ENFORCE THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION. 19
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 20
1, 2026. 21