1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to health; requiring the commissioner of health to study and 
1.3 	evaluate the implementation of youth sports concussions protocols and make 
1.4 	recommendations on best practices for reducing and preventing concussions; 
1.5 	appropriating money.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. YOUTH SPORTS CONCUSSIONS STUDY.
 1.8 	(a) The commissioner of health shall study the incidence of brain injury in Minnesota 
1.9 	youth sports, evaluate the implementation of Minnesota Statutes, sections 121A.37 and 
1.10 	121A.38, regarding concussions in youth athletic activity, and identify best practices for 
1.11 	identifying, evaluating, and treating youth sports concussions.
1.12 	(b) The study shall, at a minimum:
1.13 	(1) gather and analyze current data from all regions of the state on the prevalence 
1.14 	and causes of sports-related concussions, including, where possible, data on the number of 
1.15 	officials and coaches receiving initial and online training; the number of coaches, officials, 
1.16 	youth athletes, and parents or guardians receiving information on the nature and risks of 
1.17 	concussions; and the number of youth athletes removed from play and the amount of time 
1.18 	passing between that removal and the athletes' return to play;
1.19 	(2) review the rules associated with relevant youth athletic activities, and the current 
1.20 	concussion education policies;
1.21 	(3) identify best practices and innovative policies in areas such as baseline 
1.22 	concussion testing of athletes, postconcussion treatment, and return-to-learn protocols; and
1.23 	(4) make recommendations regarding:
1.24 	(i) best practices for reducing and preventing concussions;
2.1 	(ii) best practices to be employed by schools to identify and respond to occurrences 
2.2 	of concussions, including return-to-play and return-to-learn;
2.3 	(iii) opportunities to highlight and strengthen best practices with external grant 
2.4 	support;
2.5 	(iv) opportunities to leverage Minnesota's strengths in brain science research and 
2.6 	clinical care for brain injury; and
2.7 	(v) proposals to develop an innovative Minnesota model for identifying, evaluating, 
2.8 	and treating youth sports concussions.
2.9 	(c) Participation in the study by schools, school districts, school governing bodies, 
2.10 	parents, athletes, and related individuals and organizations shall be voluntary, and this 
2.11 	study shall create no new reporting requirements.
2.12 	(d) The commissioner shall submit the results of the study recommendations and 
2.13 	proposals to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with 
2.14 	jurisdiction over health and human services and education by June 15, 2017.

2.15 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 2.16 	$400,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 2017 from the general fund to the 
2.17 	commissioner of health to conduct the youth sports concussions study in section 1. This is 
2.18 	a onetime appropriation.