Nebraska's Concussion Awareness Act (LB260): What Parents Need to Know

What parents need to know

Nebraska's Concussion Awareness Act — Legislative Bill 260 — became law on July 1, 2012. It covers public, private, and parochial schools, and organized youth sports for athletes ages 19 and under when a fee is charged or a business or nonprofit sponsors participation. Husker Power Camps follows these standards for every athlete who trains with us.

What the law requires

1. Education. Coaches, athletes, and a parent or guardian of each athlete must receive information about concussion risks, signs and symptoms, and how to seek proper medical care.

2. Removal from play. If a coach or licensed health care professional reasonably suspects a concussion, the athlete is removed from the activity right away — practice, game, or session.

3. Return to play. The athlete may not return to any supervised activity that involves physical exertion until they have (a) been evaluated by a licensed health care professional trained in pediatric traumatic brain injury, (b) received written and signed clearance from that professional, and (c) submitted that clearance along with written permission from a parent or guardian.

A 2014 update also asks schools to have a return-to-learn plan so students recovering from a concussion get the academic support they need.

What is a concussion?

A concussion is a brain injury. It can come from a bump, blow, or jolt to the head — or from a hit to the body that snaps the head. Most concussions happen without loss of consciousness. Continuing to train or compete with a concussion raises the risk of a more serious injury.

Signs and symptoms parents should watch for

Symptoms can show up right away or hours later. Common signs include:

• Headache, pressure in the head, or dizziness

• Nausea or vomiting

• Balance problems or blurred vision

• Sensitivity to light or noise

• Feeling foggy, confused, or "not right"

• Trouble concentrating or remembering

• Unusual fatigue, irritability, or changes in sleep or mood

If you suspect a concussion, pull your athlete from activity and contact a licensed health care professional. When in doubt, sit them out.

How Husker Power Camps handles it

Our FAQ concussion protocol matches the Act: any athlete with a suspected concussion is removed from activity immediately, the family is contacted, and the athlete may not return until cleared in writing by a licensed healthcare provider. Parents are told the date and approximate time of the injury, the signs that were observed, and what was done to help.

Official resources

Nebraska DHHS — Concussion: dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Concussion.aspx

Concussion Awareness Act (Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 71-9101 to 71-9106): View the statute

LB260 slip law (PDF): Download LB260 PDF

CDC Heads Up (youth sports): search "CDC Heads Up concussion" for parent and coach training

NFHS "Concussion in Sports" course for coaches and parents

This page is education for families, not legal advice. For the full text of the law, use the links above.

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