House Bill 1173

AN ACT TO BE KNOWN AS THE "MISSISSIPPI COACH SAFELY ACT"; TO DEFINE CERTAIN TERMS; TO REQUIRE A YOUTH ATHLETICS ASSOCIATION CONDUCTING HIGH RISK YOUTH ATHLETIC ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN UNDER AGE 15 TO REQUIRE COACHES AND ATHLETIC PERSONNEL TO ANNUALLY COMPLETE A YOUTH INJURY MITIGATION AND INFORMATION COURSE APPROVED BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH; TO PROVIDE A DEFENSE FROM LIABILITY FOR A YOUTH ATHLETE'S INJURY IN A HIGH RISK ATHLETIC ACTIVITY FOR ATHLETIC PERSONNEL AND COACHES WHO HAVE COMPLETED THE COURSE AND REASONABLY USED SAFETY TECHNIQUES AND METHODS TAUGHT IN THE COURSE; TO REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO ADOPT RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COACH SAFELY ACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Mississippi Coach Safely Act."

SECTION 2. For the purposes of this act, the following words and phrases have the meanings ascribed in this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

(a) "Association" means an organization that administers or conducts high risk youth athletic activities on property owned, leased, managed or maintained by the state, an agent of the state, or a political subdivision or district of the state, including a public school district.

(b) "Athletics personnel" means athletic directors and other individuals actively involved in organizing, training or coaching sports activities for individuals age fourteen (14) years and under.

(c) "Coach" means an individual, whether paid, unpaid, volunteer or interim, who is approved by the association to organize, train or supervise a youth athlete or team of youth athletes. If an individual approved by the association is unavailable, the term "coach" may include an individual selected by a youth athlete or a team of youth athletes who is not approved by the association.

(d) "High risk youth athletic activity" means an organized sport in which there is a significant possibility for a youth athlete to sustain a serious physical injury, including, but not limited to, the sports of football, basketball, baseball, volleyball, soccer, ice or field hockey, cheerleading and lacrosse.

(e) "Youth athlete" means an individual age fourteen (14) years or younger participating in an organized sport.

SECTION 3. (1) A youth athletics association that sponsors or conducts sports training or high risk youth athletic activities for children age fourteen (14) years and younger shall require all coaches and athletics personnel to complete an online or residence youth injury mitigation and information course approved by the State Department of Health, if available at no cost, which provides information and awareness of actions and measures that may be used to decrease the likelihood that a youth athlete will sustain a serious injury while engaged or participating in a high risk youth athletic activity.

(2) A youth injury mitigation and information course required to be taken by a coach or athletics personnel under this section must provide, at a minimum, information on the following subjects:

(a) Emergency preparedness, planning and rehearsal for traumatic injuries.

(b) Concussions and head trauma.

(d) Physical conditioning and training equipment usage.

(e) Heart defects and abnormalities leading to sudden cardiac death.

(3) An individual required to take an injury mitigation and information course under this section must complete the course no later than thirty (30) days after becoming actively engaged in, or serving as, athletics personnel or a coach for the association.

(4) A youth athletics association that conducts high risk youth athletic activities or events which requires coaches and athletics personnel to complete an injury mitigation and information course under this section shall maintain a record of each individual's course completion for as long as the individual serves as athletics personnel or a coach for the association.

(5) The course requirement under this section is an annual requirement that must be completed not later than the anniversary of the date on which the individual actively became engaged in serving as athletics personnel or a coach for the association.

(6) All licensed and certified athletic trainers, doctors, nurses, first responders, and health care professionals with acute traumatic life support training are exempt from the course requirements under this section.

(7) This act may not be construed to eliminate the involvement of athletic trainers at youth athletic events.

(8) This act may not be construed to impose additional liability upon political subdivisions and districts of this state.

(9) Athletics personnel and coaches are entitled to a defense from liability for an injury sustained by a youth athlete as a result of participation in a high risk youth athletic activity upon establishing that they completed the youth injury mitigation and information course described in subsection (1) of this section and that they reasonably conformed their conduct to the safety techniques and methods identified in the course.

(10) Before January 1, 2025, the State Department of Health shall adopt such rules and regulations as may be necessary for the purpose of implementing, enforcing and administering this act.

SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2024.