The New York State Senate

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

                                  1269

                       2017-2018 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            January 11, 2017
                               ___________

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.
  § 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.
  § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.


 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD04726-01-7

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

                                 1269--B

                       2017-2018 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            January 11, 2017
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M. of A. BENEDETTO, ABINANTI, DINOWITZ, MONTESANO, COOK,
  JAFFEE,  SIMON,  MOSLEY,  CARROLL,  O'DONNELL,  DAVILA,  L. ROSENTHAL,
  AUBRY,  ERRIGO, D'URSO, RIVERA -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. GALEF
  -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health -- recommitted to
  the Committee on Health in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2  --
  committee  discharged,  bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and
  recommitted to said committee -- again reported  from  said  committee
  with  amendments, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said
  committee

AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to prohibiting  chil-
  dren eleven 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. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "John Mack-
ey youth football protection act".
  § 2. 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.
  §  2595.  PROHIBITION OF TACKLE FOOTBALL. 1. NO CHILD ELEVEN 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, PRACTIC-
ING, OR OTHERWISE PARTICIPATING IN ANY FORM OF FOOTBALL WHICH  DOES  NOT
INVOLVE TACKLING.
  2.  ANY SCHOOL, LEAGUE OR OTHER ENTITY WHOSE PURPOSE IS TO ALLOW CHIL-
DREN 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.

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

                                                           LBD04726-04-8

A. 1269--B                          2

  3. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION:
  (A)  "ORGANIZED  TACKLE  FOOTBALL" SHALL INCLUDE ANY PRACTICE, GAME OR
OTHER ACTIVITY WHICH INVOLVES ENGAGING IN TACKLE FOOTBALL AND  WHICH  IS
ORGANIZED BY A SCHOOL, OR PUBLIC OR PRIVATE LEAGUE OR OTHER ENTITY WHOSE
PURPOSE IS TO ALLOW CHILDREN TO PARTICIPATE IN CONTACT FOOTBALL.
  (B) "TACKLE" SHALL MEAN TO PHYSICALLY IMPEDE THE FORWARD MOVEMENT OF A
PLAYER WHO IS IN POSSESSION OF THE BALL TO THE EXTENT THAT:
  (I)  THE PLAYER'S FORWARD MOVEMENT IS STOPPED AND THE PLAYER IS UNABLE
TO RESUME SUCH FORWARD MOVEMENT; OR
  (II) THE PLAYER IS FORCED TO TOUCH SOME PART OF HIS OR HER BODY TO THE
GROUND OTHER THAN THE PLAYER'S HANDS OR FEET.
  § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.

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

                                 1269--C

                       2017-2018 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            January 11, 2017
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M. of A. BENEDETTO, ABINANTI, DINOWITZ, MONTESANO, COOK,
  JAFFEE,  SIMON,  MOSLEY,  CARROLL,  O'DONNELL,  DAVILA,  L. ROSENTHAL,
  AUBRY,  ERRIGO, D'URSO, RIVERA -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. GALEF
  -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health -- recommitted to
  the Committee on Health in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2  --
  committee  discharged,  bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and
  recommitted to said committee -- again reported  from  said  committee
  with  amendments, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said
  committee -- again  reported  from  said  committee  with  amendments,
  ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee

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:

  Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "John Mack-
ey youth football protection act".
  §  2.  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.
  § 2595. PROHIBITION OF TACKLE FOOTBALL. 1. NO CHILD TWELVE  YEARS  OLD
OR YOUNGER SHALL PLAY, PRACTICE, OR OTHERWISE ENGAGE IN ORGANIZED TACKLE
FOOTBALL;  PROVIDED  HOWEVER,  THAT  NOTHING  WITHIN  THIS SECTION SHALL
PROHIBIT CHILDREN TWELVE YEARS OLD AND YOUNGER FROM PLAYING, PRACTICING,
OR OTHERWISE PARTICIPATING IN  ANY  FORM  OF  FOOTBALL  WHICH  DOES  NOT
INVOLVE TACKLING.
  2.  ANY SCHOOL, LEAGUE OR OTHER ENTITY WHOSE PURPOSE IS TO ALLOW CHIL-
DREN TO PARTICIPATE IN FOOTBALL, WHO ALLOWS CHILDREN TWELVE YEARS OLD OR
YOUNGER TO PLAY, PRACTICE, OR OTHERWISE ENGAGE IN TACKLE FOOTBALL  SHALL

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD04726-05-8

A. 1269--C                          2

BE LIABLE FOR A CIVIL PENALTY UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE TWO OF ARTI-
CLE ONE OF THIS CHAPTER.
  3. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION:
  (A)  "ORGANIZED  TACKLE  FOOTBALL" SHALL INCLUDE ANY PRACTICE, GAME OR
OTHER ACTIVITY WHICH INVOLVES ENGAGING IN TACKLE FOOTBALL AND  WHICH  IS
ORGANIZED BY A SCHOOL, OR PUBLIC OR PRIVATE LEAGUE OR OTHER ENTITY WHOSE
PURPOSE IS TO ALLOW CHILDREN TO PARTICIPATE IN CONTACT FOOTBALL.
  (B) "TACKLE" SHALL MEAN TO PHYSICALLY IMPEDE THE FORWARD MOVEMENT OF A
PLAYER WHO IS IN POSSESSION OF THE BALL TO THE EXTENT THAT:
  (I)  THE PLAYER'S FORWARD MOVEMENT IS STOPPED AND THE PLAYER IS UNABLE
TO RESUME SUCH FORWARD MOVEMENT; OR
  (II) THE PLAYER IS FORCED TO TOUCH SOME PART OF HIS OR HER BODY TO THE
GROUND OTHER THAN THE PLAYER'S HANDS OR FEET.
  § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.