SPORT SAFETY TRAINING - S.B. 179 (S-4): FLOOR ANALYSIS
sans-serif">Senate Bill 179 (Substitute S-4 as reported by the Committee of the Whole)
Sponsor: Senator Bev Hammerstrom
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Revised School Code to require that school athletic coaches hold valid certification in sport safety training. The board of a school district or public school academy would have to require each new person it employed or assigned as an interscholastic athletic coach to meet this requirement. The bill would take effect July 1, 2004.
Coaches would have to complete a sport safety training course approved by the State Board of Education. The course would have to include instruction in at least cardiopulmonary resuscitation, emergency procedures, first aid, and injury prevention.
People already employed or serving as interscholastic athletic coaches on or before the bill’s effective date would be exempt from the certification requirement. In addition, certification would not be required if a coach had a physical limitation that made it impracticable for him or her to complete the course and obtain the certification. The certification requirement also would not apply to a licensed physician, physician’s assistant, nurse, or person licensed under Part 209 of the Public Health Code (which provides for the licensure of emergency medical services personnel).
If a coach with valid sport safety certification, in the course of his or her employment or service as a coach, provided physical aid within the scope of sport safety training to another person in an emergency, the coach would not be liable in a civil suit for damages resulting from an act or omission occurring in the provision of that aid, except for an act or omission constituting gross negligence or willful and wanton misconduct.
The bill states that it would not create a duty to act on the part of a person who held a sport safety certificate.
Proposed MCL 380.1523 - Legislative Analyst: George Towne
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on the State. There would be an indeterminate cost for obtaining the required certification. Many or most Red Cross organizations offer this training at a fee of $50 to $75 per person. The fee that is charged by other private, State-approved providers is unknown. This cost would have to be paid by either the school district or the coach.
Date Completed: 5-14-03 - Fiscal Analyst: Joe CarrascoFloor\sb179 - Bill Analysis @ www.senate.michigan.gov/sfa
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.