Youth Concussion Case Study

Proposed federal legislation will, like those bills that came before, face many challenges in its enactment. If previous attempts are any indication the Senate is no ready to enact such legislation at this time. However, the next congressional elections will change the make-up of Senate and provide for new faces that may show more support. Additionally, as the concerns of concussions, particularly at the youth level continues to grow, elected officials will feel more pressure to act. This push for action also includes the myriad of concussion lawsuits that have been filed in the last few years.
Another potential roadblock is the significant compromise that is normally required for legislation to pass. This compromise can undermine the integrity of the bill by diluting it to ensure enactment. Possible areas where the bill could be compromised is in the grant-funding structure, the requirements for state compliance, or even who should be the authority in setting forth guidelines. Some compromise is likely inevitable in passing the legislation, but avoiding changes that subvert the intentions of the legislation is essential.
The largest barrier to enactment is funding. Previous proposed bills failed because of resistance as to the funding structure and the source of the funds. To …show more content…
In the meantime, state legislators believe that current state laws on youth concussion is all a state can do. Litigation surrounding youth concussions can file in the gaps where needed. This can simply not be the case. Youth athlete and their families cannot wait for research to develop, the dangers of concussions are real and present. Litigation can come no where close to compensating a young athlete whose life can change, or even worse, end, with a single blow. A federal regulatory framework is needed to protect the young athletes of the United