The New York State Senate

                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  4448

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            February 2, 2015
                               ___________

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 thirteen 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:

  Section 1. Article 25 of the public health law is amended by adding  a
new title 7 to read as follows:
                                TITLE VII
                              YOUTH SPORTS
SECTION 2595. PROHIBITION OF TACKLE FOOTBALL.
  S 2595. PROHIBITION OF TACKLE FOOTBALL. 1. (A) NO CHILD THIRTEEN YEARS
OLD  OR  YOUNGER  SHALL PLAY, PRACTICE, OR OTHERWISE ENGAGE IN ORGANIZED
TACKLE FOOTBALL; PROVIDED HOWEVER,  THAT  NOTHING  WITHIN  THIS  SECTION
SHALL  PROHIBIT  CHILDREN  THIRTEEN  YEARS OLD AND YOUNGER FROM PLAYING,
PRACTICING, OR OTHERWISE PARTICIPATING IN ANY  FORM  OF  FOOTBALL  WHICH
DOES NOT INVOLVE TACKLING.
  (B)  FOR  THE  PURPOSES  OF  THIS SECTION, "ORGANIZED TACKLE FOOTBALL"
SHALL INCLUDE ANY PRACTICE, GAME OR OTHER ACTIVITY WHICH INVOLVES ENGAG-
ING IN TACKLE FOOTBALL AND WHICH IS ORGANIZED BY  A  SCHOOL,  ADULT,  OR
PUBLIC OR PRIVATE LEAGUE OR OTHER ENTITY WHOSE PURPOSE IS TO ALLOW CHIL-
DREN TO PARTICIPATE IN CONTACT FOOTBALL.
  2.  ANY  SCHOOL,  ADULT, OR LEAGUE OR OTHER ENTITY WHOSE PURPOSE IS TO
ALLOW CHILDREN TO PARTICIPATE IN FOOTBALL, WHO ALLOWS CHILDREN  THIRTEEN
YEARS OF AGE OR YOUNGER TO PLAY, PRACTICE, OR OTHERWISE ENGAGE IN TACKLE
FOOTBALL  SHALL  BE  LIABLE  FOR A CIVIL PENALTY UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF
TITLE TWO OF ARTICLE ONE OF THIS CHAPTER.
  S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.


 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD08696-01-5