New York Assembly Bill A10675

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/20/26
• Refer: 3/20/26

Caption

Updates school concussion management and response protocols

Summary

A10675 updates New York’s school concussion management rules, amending Education Law section 305 to expand and clarify how schools respond to pupils who may have sustained a mild traumatic brain injury. The bill requires the State Education Department, working with the Department of Health, to continue promulgating and reviewing concussion-related regulations for injuries occurring during school instruction or school-sponsored and school-related activities. It also directs the state to provide updated public-facing guidance on concussion symptoms, prevention, and return-to-school/return-to-activity protocols. The bill broadens required training and response procedures for school personnel. Biennial concussion training would apply not only to coaches, physical education teachers, nurses, and athletic trainers, but also to medical directors employed by or under contract with a school or district. It also expands the list of professionals who may authorize a student’s return to athletic activity to include physician assistants and nurse practitioners, in addition to licensed physicians. The bill further requires that a student may not return to athletic activity until symptom-free for at least 24 hours and back to a full class schedule without academic accommodations related to the concussion.

Impact

If enacted, the bill would amend Education Law section 305 and strengthen statewide concussion protocols for public and school-sponsored athletics and related school activities. It would impose additional training and information-sharing obligations on schools, require concussion information to be included in consent forms and posted on school websites, and expand the personnel involved in concussion management teams. It would also affect students, parents, school districts, coaches, athletic trainers, nurses, and school medical staff by formalizing return-to-play and return-to-learn standards and by broadening the medical professionals authorized to clear students for athletic participation.

Sentiment

The available record shows no committee transcript or recorded votes, so there is no documented floor or committee debate to indicate divided sentiment. Based on the bill text, the measure appears to be framed as a student-safety and awareness update, with an emphasis on improving concussion recognition, communication, and recovery protocols. The absence of recorded opposition or amendments in the provided history suggests the bill was being advanced in a generally procedural or technical posture rather than amid visible controversy.

Contention

The main policy choices in the bill concern how strict the return-to-play and return-to-school requirements should be, and which school personnel and medical professionals should be involved in concussion management. Potential points of contention include the added training burden on school staff, the requirement that students return to a full class schedule without accommodations before resuming athletics, and the expansion of clearance authority to physician assistants and nurse practitioners. Another possible issue is the discretion given to schools to create concussion management teams, which may raise questions about consistency across districts.