Bill Text: NJ S1003 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires children to wear athletic heart protectors while playing organized baseball or softball.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-01-17 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Law and Public Safety Committee [S1003 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-S1003-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator LINDA R. GREENSTEIN
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Requires children to wear athletic heart protectors while playing organized baseball or softball.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning certain protective athletic equipment, and supplementing Title 5 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. As used in this act:
"Athletic heart protector" means any device, covering the area of the chest under the sternum, that is designed to absorb impact energy and force it away from the heart in order to reduce the possibility of injury and that may be worn while playing sports.
"Child" means any person under the age of 13.
"Organized baseball or softball game" means any baseball or softball game organized by or affiliated with: a public or nonpublic school; any nonprofit youth serving organization as defined by section 1 of P.L. 1999, c.432, (C.15A:3A-1), including but not limited to, Little Leagues, Babe Ruth Leagues, Police Athletic Leagues, and the American Legion; a county or municipal recreation department; or the governing body of a county or municipality. "Organized baseball or softball game" shall also include pregame activities and shall include any baseball or softball game or pregame activity.
2. Any child who participates in an organized baseball or softball game shall wear an athletic heart protector.
3. The Commissioner of Health and Senior Services shall establish and maintain an up-to-date list of authorized athletic heart protectors, as defined in section 1 of this act. The list shall be made available electronically on the Internet website of the Department of Health and Senior Services.
4. The New Jersey Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, established under P.L.1999, c.265 (C.26:1A-37.5 et seq.), is authorized to provide grants to assist low-income families in purchasing an athletic heart protector. As used in this section, a "low-income family" means a family which qualifies for low-income housing under the standards promulgated by the Council on Affordable Housing pursuant to the "Fair Housing Act," P.L.1985, c.222 (C.52:27D-301 et al.).
5. No school, nonprofit youth serving organization, or government agency engaged in organizing, teaching, refereeing, or coaching an organized baseball or softball game shall be liable in a civil action for failure to administer or enforce the provisions of this act.
6. This act shall take effect on the first day of the seventh month after enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill would require all children under the age of 13 to wear a an athletic heart protector while playing organized baseball or softball games. An athletic heart protector is any device, covering the area of the chest under the sternum, that is designed to absorb impact energy and force it away from the heart in order to reduce the possibility of injury and that may be worn while playing sports.
In June of 2006, Steven Domalewski of Wayne, New Jersey, was struck in the chest with a batted ball while pitching for his Wayne Police Athletic League baseball team. The impact caused a near fatal disruption of the heart's electrical system, known as commotio cordis, that sent him into cardiac arrest, and subsequently into a coma. This incident and similar ones have triggered a movement to find a way to reduce or eliminate such tragedies. An athletic heart protector is used to reduce the impact of a ball when it hits the chest and therefore may be effective in preventing a child from suffering a serious or fatal cardiac injury when hit by a batted baseball or softball.
The Commissioner of Health and Senior Services shall develop a list of authorized products that fulfill the definition of athletic heart protector and make this list available on the website of the Department of Health and Senior Services.
The New Jersey Council on Physical Fitness and Sports is authorized to provide grants to assist low-income families in purchasing an athletic heart protector.
No school, nonprofit youth serving organization, or government agency shall be held liable for failure to administer or enforce the provisions of this act.
