Senator: Require post-concussion testing

ALBANY -- Too often, high school athletes are likely returning too soon to competition after suffering concussions, a Long Island state senator said Wednesday.

To counter that, Sen. Kemp Hannon (R-Garden City) announced a new bill that would require an athlete to be symptom-free for at least 24 hours after suffering a concussion and be cleared by a new screening panel before returning to the field or court. Hannon said the practical effect would probably mean athletes would have to wait more than 24 hours before jumping back into competition.

"Athletic directors still say there's too much pressure" for athletes to return swiftly, Hannon said at a Capitol news conference. "So we believe they will welcome this formal structure."

Under the bill, every school district would form a "concussion management team" comprising health and sports staff. The team would review whether the student has the proper clearance from a physician, oversee staff training, and help students return to school and sports with specific guidelines.

Hannon said it would not require a school to add staff, but use existing personnel to form the teams. A group that advocates for those suffering from brain injuries says the measure would build on recent laws passed by states including New Jersey, which requires a physician's approval to return to play.

"New York would leapfrog other states" with this legislation, said Patrick Donohue, founder of the Sarah Jane Brain Foundation, named for his daughter who suffered a severe brain injury after being violently shaken by a nurse.

Yancey Roy