Richard Durbin (D-IL)
Protecting Student Athletes from Concussions Act of 2025
A Democratic bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text: CR S6734)
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Protecting Student Athletes from Concussions Act of 2025 requires states receiving Elementary and Secondary Education Act funds to set minimum standards for concussion safety. States must ensure local educational agencies create concussion management plans that educate students and staff and provide academic and athletic recovery supports. Public schools must also post scientific information about concussions on campus and online. Students suspected of having a concussion must be removed from athletics and cannot return without a written release from a health care professional. The bill mandates academic accommodations for recovering students and establishes financial penalties for states that do not comply.
Yes· 3 of 10
- Scored +9
Would students be better off under this?
Ensures student-athletes are protected from returning to sports too early and provides academic support during recovery.
- Scored +8
Would children be better off under this?
Significantly improves safety protocols and academic support for students suffering from concussions.
- Scored +6
Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this?
Protects high school students and student-athletes from further brain injury.
The opposite
- Scored -4
Does this leave more decisions to the states?
Imposes federal minimum standards and financial penalties on state educational policy.
- Scored -3
Does this put more money into public schools?
Potential for states to lose 5-10% of Elementary and Secondary Education Act funds for non-compliance.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Student Education and Safety: The bill requires the education of students, parents, and school personnel on how to prevent, recognize, and respond to concussions (Section 2(a)(1)(A)).
-
Academic Support for Recovering Students: Students recovering from concussions can receive academic accommodations, such as modified assignments and periods of cognitive rest (Section 2(a)(5)).
-
Protective Athletic Protocols: To prevent further injury, students suspected of a concussion must be immediately removed from school-sponsored athletic activities and cannot return without a written release from a health care professional (Section 2(a)(3) and 2(a)(4)).
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Access to Information: Public schools must post peer-reviewed scientific evidence regarding concussion risks, signs, symptoms, and response actions on school grounds and websites (Section 2(a)(2)).
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Special Education Evaluations: Students with persisting concussion symptoms may be evaluated for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 2(a)(1)(B)(iii)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Loss of Education Funding: States that fail to meet the compliance deadline will face a 5 percent reduction in funds from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in the first year, and a 10 percent reduction in succeeding years (Section 2(b)(1) and 2(b)(2)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would students be better off under this? — Ensures student-athletes are protected from returning to sports too early and provides academic support during recovery. Would children be better off under this? — Significantly improves safety protocols and academic support for students suffering from concussions. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — Protects high school students and student-athletes from further brain injury. Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — Provides pathways to IDEA and Section 504 services for students with lasting concussion symptoms. Would high-income households be better off under this? — Ensures public school students receive standardized concussion care and academic accommodations. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Provides necessary medical and academic safety standards in public schools regardless of family income. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Ensures public school students receive standardized concussion care and academic accommodations.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this expand the rights of people with disabilities? — Encourages evaluations under the IDEA and Section 504 for students with persisting concussion symptoms.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — Requires professional medical clearance for students to return to sports, ensuring medical oversight for brain injuries.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more money into public schools? — Potential for states to lose 5-10% of Elementary and Secondary Education Act funds for non-compliance.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — Uses federal funding mandates to compel states to enact specific concussion safety legislation. Does this leave more decisions to the states? — Imposes federal minimum standards and financial penalties on state educational policy.
- 9/18/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text: CR S6734)
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.