Amd Art 25 Title 7 Title Head, add §2596, Pub Health L
Enacts Josh's law; requires training plans be approved annually prior to implementation in modified and high school football by either the PSLA or NYSPHSAA, whichever is applicable; requires certain information regarding injuries be reported that occur during such practices.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
4682
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 11, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sen. MURRAY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to enacting "Josh's
law", requires training plans be approved prior to implementation in
modified and high school football
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
2 "Josh's law".
3 § 2. The title heading of title 7 of article 25 of the public health
4 law, as added by chapter 243 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as
5 follows:
6 YOUTH, MODIFIED AND HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS
7 § 3. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 2596 to
8 read as follows:
9 § 2596. Modified and high school football; training plans. 1. Any
10 member school of either the public schools athletic league (PSAL) or the
11 New York state public high school athletic association (NYSPHSAA) that
12 has a modified and/or high school football program shall prepare and
13 provide a team training plan for each level for review no later than
14 July fifteenth annually in order for such plan to be approved prior to
15 the beginning of the fall sports season. Such plan shall be prepared and
16 submitted by the coach or athletic director to the section executive
17 director for approval if such program belongs to a member school of the
18 NYSPHSAA or to the football sports coordinator if such program belongs
19 to a member school of the PSAL. A training plan may be approved in whole
20 or in part and a request for additional information may be requested if
21 necessary. For purposes of this section, "training plan" shall mean a
22 comprehensive list and description of all drills and activities the
23 program plans to use throughout the season during practice, including,
24 but not limited to, warmups, work outs, conditioning, and sport-specific
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09076-01-5
S. 4682 2
1 activities, etc. Such training plan shall include a complete list of
2 all equipment utilized for each drill or activity. Any new addition to
3 an approved training plan shall be submitted for review prior to imple-
4 mentation.
5 2. Any injury that occurs during practice should be recorded by the
6 coach and reported to the school's athletic director. Such report shall
7 include: (a) the individual's team level; (b) the injury that occurred;
8 (c) the activity the individual was participating in when the injury
9 occurred; (d) where such activity was listed in their approved training
10 plan; and (e) whether or not outside medical assistance was necessary.
11 NYSPHSAA member schools shall report such information to the section
12 executive director who shall compile a complete list and shall provide
13 such list to the NYSPHSAA. PSAL member schools shall report such infor-
14 mation to the football sports coordinator who shall compile a complete
15 list for the league. Such records should be reviewed and utilized when
16 future training plans are submitted for approval.
17 § 4. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
18 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
19 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of
20 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed
21 on or before such effective date.
