state concussion laws

On April 21, 2011, North Dakota governor Jack Dalrymple signed Senate Bill 2281 into law requiring that all schools in the state that sponsor or sanction athletic activities adopt a concussion management program and outlining the specific requirements that must be included in the program.  North Dakota became the fourteenth state to enact a strong youth sports concussion safety law since May 2009.

On April 7, 2011, Iowa governor Terry Brandstat signed the state's youth sports concussion safety law into law.  It will take effect July 1, 2011.

The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) is implementing a new concussion rule for the 2010-11 academic year which not only requires immediate removal of any athlete suspected of having suffered a concussion but bans his return until cleared to play by an appropriate health-care professional. This rule also covers youth leagues that play under high school rules or modified high school rules, but does not apply in those states where even stricter concussion laws have been recently passed.