House Bill Addresses School Sports Safety And Protocol

North Carolina lawmakers are considering a bill that would address school sports safety awareness. The legislation also calls for more documentation of serious sports injuries among middle and high school students.

House Bill 116 is being co-sponsored by Forsyth County Representative Donny Lambeth, one of the legislature's health care experts, having served as president of North Carolina Baptist Hospital for three years.

Lambeth tells the Winston-Salem Journal the bill has three main goals.

It would direct local and state school boards to raise awareness and recognition of sudden cardiac arrest and heat-related illnesses.

The state board would be required to establish a public database on serious sports injuries.

And existing concussion safety protocols would be enhanced.

Lambeth says the new guidelines are meant to strengthen existing procedures and track situations where students might be at higher risk.

If the bill passes, the new standards would take effect at the start of the 2017-18 school year.