STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
2692
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 25, 2019
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Introduced by M. of A. BENEDETTO -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to prohibiting chil-
dren twelve years old and younger from playing tackle football
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "John Mack-
2 ey youth football protection act".
3 § 2. Article 25 of the public health law is amended by adding a new
4 title 7 to read as follows:
5 TITLE VII
6 YOUTH SPORTS
7 Section 2595. Prohibition of tackle football.
8 § 2595. Prohibition of tackle football. 1. No child twelve years old
9 or younger shall play, practice, or otherwise engage in organized tackle
10 football; provided however, that nothing within this section shall
11 prohibit children twelve years old and younger from playing, practicing,
12 or otherwise participating in any form of football which does not
13 involve tackling.
14 2. Any school, league or other entity whose purpose is to allow chil-
15 dren to participate in football, who allows children twelve years old or
16 younger to play, practice, or otherwise engage in tackle football shall
17 be liable for a civil penalty under the provisions of title two of arti-
18 cle one of this chapter.
19 3. For the purposes of this section:
20 (a) "Organized tackle football" shall include any practice, game or
21 other activity which involves engaging in tackle football and which is
22 organized by a school, or public or private league or other entity whose
23 purpose is to allow children to participate in contact football.
24 (b) "Tackle" shall mean to physically impede the forward movement of a
25 player who is in possession of the ball to the extent that:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01531-01-9
A. 2692 2
1 (i) the player's forward movement is stopped and the player is unable
2 to resume such forward movement; or
3 (ii) the player is forced to touch some part of his or her body to the
4 ground other than the player's hands or feet.
5 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.