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Iowa Senate sends school concussion rules to Reynolds

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April 12th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — School districts would be required to adopt return-to-play rules for students who may have concussions under a bill that is headed to Gov. Kim Reynolds. The Iowa Senate approved the bill 46-0 on Thursday, days after it was approved by the House.

Jean Berger, executive director of the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union, says the legislation wouldn’t be a substantial change for most Iowa schools. Her organization, along with the Iowa High School Athletic Association, developed a medical review protocol in 2013, but schools aren’t required to follow it.

The legislation doesn’t require schools to have a health care provider present at games, but it limits legal liability if they do. The nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency says the bill would have “minimal” costs for local school districts.