Protecting Student Athletes from Concussions Act
Sponsored By: Representative DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10]
Introduced
Summary
Creates a federal framework that would require States getting Elementary and Secondary Education Act funds to adopt minimum concussion safety and management rules for public school activities. It focuses on standardizing removal, medical clearance, and coordinated academic and athletic return plans.
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- Students and families: Multidisciplinary concussion management teams, written treatment plans, and academic accommodations are required. The bill also creates pathways to assess eligibility for IDEA Part B or Section 504 services when symptoms persist.
- Schools and local educational agencies: Requires locally driven concussion safety plans with education, training, reporting, posting of scientifically based concussion information, immediate removal from play for suspected concussions, prohibition on same-day return, and a written release from a health care professional before returning to athletic activity.
- States and enforcement: States must adopt statewide minimum requirements by a compliance deadline or face a 5% cut in ESEA funding the first fiscal year after the deadline and 10% in each later fiscal year until they comply.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Penalties for states missing concussion rules
If enacted, the bill would require any State that gets ESEA funds and does not meet the bill’s concussion rules to adopt statewide concussion protections by the last day of the fifth full fiscal year after enactment. The bill would use the ESEA definitions of “State” and “local educational agency” to decide who must comply. If a State misses the deadline, the Department of Education would cut that State’s ESEA funds by 5 percent for the first fiscal year after the deadline. If the State stays noncompliant in later years, the Department would cut ESEA funds by 10 percent for each fiscal year until the State complies. The Secretary must send written notice to the State and to the relevant congressional committees before any funding reduction.
School concussion plans and supports
If enacted, the bill would require each local educational agency to make a concussion safety and management plan and require schools to follow it by the compliance deadline. Plans would include training for coaches, teachers, athletic trainers, school nurses, and related services staff. Schools would have a designated staff member at every school-sponsored athletic activity who must remove any student suspected of a concussion and stop that student from returning the same day. Students would need a written release from a qualified health care professional before returning to athletics. LEAs would offer phased return-to-learn supports and consider IDEA Part B or Section 504 evaluations if symptoms last a substantial time.
Concussion definitions and clearance rules
If enacted, the bill would define what counts as a concussion for students and when the school rules apply. The bill would define a qualifying health care professional for written return-to-play releases as a clinician trained in pediatric concussion and recognized by the State. Related services personnel would be defined by the IDEA definition so schools know which therapists and specialists can help. The bill would also say school-sponsored athletic activity includes PE, non-instructional athletic time during the school day, extracurricular teams or clubs on or off campus, and recess. These definitions would take effect upon enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10]
CA • D
Cosponsors
Stauber
MN • R
Sponsored 2/17/2026
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 2/25/2026
Bishop
GA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2026
Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2]
NE • R
Sponsored 3/12/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov