Sports-Related Concussions & Subconcussive Injuries

A concussion may result from a direct blow to the head, face, neck, or elsewhere on the body where the force of the blow is transmitted to the head. Concussions occur from blows to different parts of the head and of varying magnitude.

On June 20, 2010, Texas governor Rick Perry signed into law H.B. No. 203, the state's youth sports concussion safety law.  Dubbed Natasha's Law after Natasha Helmick, a moving force behind the law, the Texas statute is one of the most detailed and comprehensive of the twenty-three enacted to protect youth athletes since the Zackery Lystedt Law was signed by Washington Governor Christine Gregoire in May 2009.

On July 8, 2010, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed the Commonwealth's youth sports concussion safety law, which applies to all public schools in the state and any school subject to the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association rules. Originally slated to go into effect on January 1, 2010, the law was subsequently amended to give it immediate effect.

Connecticut's youth sports concussion safety law was signed on May 18, 2010 by Governor M. Jodi Rell, and amended in May 2014 to strengthen the concussion education requirements.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie signed the Garden State's youth sports concussion safety bill into law on December 7, 2010.

Rhode Island's youth sports concussion safety law took effect on July 7, 2010.

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson signed arguably the country's toughest youth sports concussion safety law on June 1, 2010.

Virginia's youth sports concussion safety law was signed by Governor Bob McDonnell on April 11, 2010 and will become effective July 1, 2011.

Oklahoma's youth sports concussion safety statute, signed into law on May 14, 2010, is modeled on Washington's Zackery Lystedt Law.

Key provisions of Oregon's youth sports concussion safety law.