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Bills from the 2011–12 session

Assembly Bill 259

Concussions and other head injuries sustained in youth athletic activities

Topics: Athletics, Damage (personal injury), Medical service, Public Instruction, Department of, School: Health program

Became law

The governor signed it on Apr 3, 2012. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Sep 15, 2011

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Nov 3, 2011

  4. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Mar 13, 2012

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2011 Wisconsin Act 172

Latest entry in the official record, Apr 5, 2012: “Published 4-16-2012”

Read the bill

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What it does

Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

This bill directs the Department of Public Instruction, in conjunction with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association, to develop guidelines and other information to educate coaches and athletes and their parents or guardians about the risk of concussion and head injury in youth athletic activities. The bill defines "youth athletic activity," with certain exceptions, as an organized athletic activity in which the participants, a majority of whom are at least 11 and under 19 years of age, are engaged in an athletic game or competition against another team, club, or entity, or in practice or preparation for an organized athletic game or competition against another team, club, or entity.

The bill requires each person operating a youth athletic activity annually to distribute a concussion and head injury information sheet to each person who wishes to participate in the activity and prohibits a person from participating in a youth athletic activity until he or she has returned the sheet signed by the person and, if he or she is under the age of 19, by his or her parent or guardian.

Read the full summary

The bill requires that a person who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury in a youth athletic activity be removed from the activity immediately.

A person who has been so removed may not participate in a youth athletic activity until he or she is evaluated by a health care provider who has been trained in the evaluation and management of concussion and head injuries and receives a written clearance to participate in the activity from the health care provider. The bill provides that if a health care provider who is a volunteer authorizes a person to participate in a youth athletic activity, he or she is immune from civil liability for any injury resulting from that act unless the act constitutes gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct.

In the bill, "health care provider" means a physician, physician assistant, advanced practice nurse prescriber, or an athletic trainer.

Who's behind it

13 lawmakers are its ⁠. 7 are Democrats and 6 are Republicans.

4 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 17 names

Authors (13)

Signed on in support (4)

  • Alberta Darling · Republican, Senate
  • Julie M. Lassa · Democrat, Senate
  • Milroy, C. Taylor, Steinbrink, Mason, Bewley, Clark, Vruwink, Young, Brooks, Petryk, Knilans and Steineke
  • Lena Taylor · Democrat, Senate

Versions and amendments

Every text the Legislature printed for this bill, including proposed changes. Each opens on the Legislature's site.

How lawmakers voted

There were 2 votes on this bill.

Assembly Committee on Education vote on an amendment

Passed, 11 to 0 · Oct 25, 2011

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report Assembly Amendment 1 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by committee on Education, Ayes 11, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly Committee on Education vote on an amendment

Passed, 11 to 0 · Oct 25, 2011

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report Assembly Amendment 4 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by committee on Education, Ayes 11, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Apr 5, 2012

    The new law was published.

  2. Apr 3, 2012

    The governor signed it. It became 2011 Wisconsin Act 172.

  3. Mar 30, 2012

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Mar 13, 2012

    The Senate passed it too.

  5. Nov 8, 2011

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Public Health, Human Services, and Revenue.

  6. Nov 4, 2011

    The Senate received it.

  7. Nov 3, 2011

    The Assembly passed it.

  8. Nov 3, 2011

    The Assembly adopted it.

  9. Nov 3, 2011

    12 more representatives signed on in support.

  10. Oct 25, 2011

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  11. Oct 25, 2011

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 11 to 0.

  12. Oct 4, 2011

    The committee held a public hearing.

  13. Sep 15, 2011

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Education.

  14. Sep 15, 2011

    Introduced in the Assembly.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Sep 15, 2011 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Fields, Ripp, Hulsey, Krug, Spanbauer, Wynn, Pasch, Endsley, E. Coggs, Berceau, Staskunas, Bernier and Bernard Schaber;Cosponsored by Senators Darling, Lassa and Taylor

  2. Sep 15, 2011 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Education

  3. Oct 4, 2011 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  4. Oct 12, 2011 · Assembly

    Assembly substitute amendment 1 offered by Representatives Fields and Knudson

  5. Oct 14, 2011 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 1 to Assembly substitute amendment 1 offered by Representative Fields

  6. Oct 18, 2011 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 2 to Assembly substitute amendment 1 offered by Representative Knudson

  7. Oct 18, 2011 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 3 to Assembly substitute amendment 1 offered by Representative Knudson

  8. Oct 18, 2011 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 4 to Assembly substitute amendment 1 offered by Representative Knudson

  9. Oct 19, 2011 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  10. Oct 25, 2011 · Assembly

    Report Assembly Amendment 1 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by committee on Education, Ayes 11, Noes 0

  11. Oct 25, 2011 · Assembly

    Report Assembly Amendment 3 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by committee on Education, Ayes 11, Noes 0

  12. Oct 25, 2011 · Assembly

    Report Assembly Amendment 4 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by committee on Education, Ayes 11, Noes 0

  13. Oct 25, 2011 · Assembly

    Report Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by committee on Education, Ayes 11, Noes 0

  14. Oct 25, 2011 · Assembly

    Report passage as amended recommended by committee on Education, Ayes 11, Noes 0

  15. Oct 25, 2011 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  16. Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 5 to Assembly substitute amendment 1 offered by Representatives Fields and Knudson

  17. Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly

    Rules suspended to withdraw from committee on Rules and take up

  18. Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly

    Representatives Milroy, C. Taylor, Steinbrink, Mason, Bewley, Clark, Vruwink, Young, Brooks, Petryk, Knilans and Steineke added as coauthors

  19. Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 1 to Assembly substitute amendment 1 adopted

  20. Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 3 to Assembly substitute amendment 1 withdrawn and returned to author

  21. Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 4 to Assembly substitute amendment 1 withdrawn and returned to author

  22. Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 5 to Assembly substitute amendment 1 adopted

  23. Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly

    Assembly substitute amendment 1 adopted

  24. Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  25. Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  26. Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly

    Read a third time and passed

  27. Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  28. Nov 4, 2011 · Senate

    Received from Assembly

  29. Nov 8, 2011 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Public Health, Human Services, and Revenue

  30. Mar 13, 2012 · Senate

    Rules suspended and taken up

  31. Mar 13, 2012 · Senate

    Read a second time

  32. Mar 13, 2012 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  33. Mar 13, 2012 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  34. Mar 13, 2012 · Senate

    Read a third time and concurred in

  35. Mar 13, 2012 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  36. Mar 13, 2012 · Assembly

    Received from Senate concurred in

  37. Mar 27, 2012 · Assembly

    Report correctly enrolled

  38. Mar 30, 2012 · Assembly

    Presented to the Governor on 3-30-2012

  39. Apr 3, 2012 · Assembly

    Report approved by the Governor on 4-2-2012. 2011 Wisconsin Act 172

  40. Apr 5, 2012 · Assembly

    Published 4-16-2012

Terms on this page

Wisconsin Act

The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.

Official term: Act. More in the glossary

Legislative Reference Bureau

The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.

Official term: LRB analysis. More in the glossary

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor. More in the glossary

Signed on in support

Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.

Official term: Cosponsor. More in the glossary

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote. More in the glossary

From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source

Wisconsin Act

The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.

Official term: Act

More in the glossary

Legislative Reference Bureau

The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.

Official term: LRB analysis

More in the glossary

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor

More in the glossary

Signed on in support

Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.

Official term: Cosponsor

More in the glossary

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote

More in the glossary