Public Health Committee
JOINT FAVORABLE REPORT
Bill No.: HB-6492
AN ACT CONCERNING EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN EXERTIONAL HEAT
Title: ILLNESS FOR COACHES, PARENTS, GUARDIANS AND STUDENTS.
Vote Date: 3/12/2021
Vote Action: Joint Favorable
PH Date: 3/8/2021
File No.: 241
Disclaimer: The following JOINT FAVORABLE Report is prepared for the benefit of the
members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and
explanation and does not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber
thereof for any purpose.
SPONSORS OF BILL:
The Public Health Committee
REASONS FOR BILL:
This bill requires a person with a State Board of Education (SBE) coaching permit who
coaches intramural or interscholastic athletics to complete an exertional heat illness
awareness education program before beginning their coaching assignment for the season
and review the program annually before the start of each coaching season. The training
requirement begins in the 2022-23 school year. HB 6492 authorizes SBE to revoke the
permits of coaches who do not comply with the above requirement.
It requires the education program to be developed or approved by January 1, 2022 by the
intramural and interscholastic athletics governing authority in consultation with several
organizations, one each which must represent: (1) licensed athletic trainers, (2) sports
medicine doctors, (3) researchers of best practices in managing heat illness, and (4) county
medical associations. The State Board of Education must publish the program on its website.
The bill requires these organizations to develop for school board use:
review materials on current and relevant information on exertional heat illness, starting
by October 1, 2022 and annually thereafter and
a model exertional heat illness awareness plan, by January 1, 2022.
The bill also requires school boards to implement the plan using written materials, videos, or
online or in-person training. Starting with the 2022-23 school year, the bill requires school
boards to prohibit a student athlete from participating in intramural or interscholastic athletics
unless the student and his or her parent or guardian reads or views the training materials or
attends an in-person training. The parent or guardian must sign an informed consent form
acknowledging compliance with the requirement.
RESPONSE FROM ADMINISTRATION/AGENCY:
Nicole Klarides-Ditria, State Representative, 105th General Assembly District:
Representative Klarides-Ditria offers support for this legislation. As outlined in her testimony,
this bill is an important proposal to require exertional heat illness education for coaches of
interscholastic sports at schools that sponsor such sporting events and activities. As stated,
"[h]ow many more young, capable students do we want to see on the evening news in the
next few years that die from heat stoke because we could not act sooner on educating our
Connecticut coaches?" With the summer heat just a few months away, there is a need to
thoroughly educate our students, parents, and coaches to the best of our ability to ensure a
safe sports season.
NATURE AND SOURCES OF SUPPORT:
Laura Bozzi, PhD., Director of Programs, Yale Center on Climate Change and Health:
Dr. Bozzi offers written testimony in support of this bill. This bill takes an important step
toward implementation of a recommendation by the Governors Council on Climate Change.
Youth are vulnerable to heat related illness, for reasons including their immature physiology
and metabolism, and because they are often physically active outside. Importantly, this is a
risk not only in hot weather Southern states, but also in Northern states, including
Connecticut. Connecticut lacks heat modification policies for youth sports. and I respectfully
request the committees consideration of additional measures to be included to best protect
childrens health.
Christianne Eason, Vice President of Sport Safety, Korey Stringer Institute: Christianne
Eason offers support for this legislation. As told in the written testimony, Korey Stringer was
an offensive lineman for the Minnesota Vikings who passed away from exertional heatstroke
in August 2001. According to the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research
2019 Annual Report, there were a total of 80 catastrophic injuries/illnesses from July 1, 2018
to June 30, 2019 that were due to, or occurred during, sport-related activities, the majority
(78%, n=62) were at the high school level.
While it is not possible to eliminate all catastrophic injuries/illnesses related to sport
participation, there are numerous strategies that can be taken to optimize emergency
preparedness to mitigate the risk. Coaches play an important role in helping prevent
exertional heat illnesses because they can structure their practices and workouts in ways that
can reduce risk. No requirements are currently in place for the education of exertional heat
illness. Adopting this bill would help mitigate the risk of catastrophic illness and injuries by
ensuring all interscholastic and intramural coaches in the state of Connecticut complete an
exertional heat illness education program.
Additional Sources of Support:
Fred Balsamo, Manager-Coaching Education Program, CIAC
Joe Canzanella, Executive Director, CT High School Coaches Association
Glenn Lungarini, Executive Director, CAS-CIAC
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Eric Hoppa, MD, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, CT Childrens Medical Center
NATURE AND SOURCES OF OPPOSITION:
None
Reported by: David Rackliffe Date: April 7, 2021
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