SB 260

2026 Regular Session  ENROLLED
  ACT No. 377
 SENATE BILL NO. 260
 BY SENATORS EDMONDS, CARTER, JENKINS, LUNEAU, MILLER AND MIZELL
1AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 9:2798(B)(1) and to enact R.S. 9:2798(D)(4) and R.S. 40:1087.2,
3relative to youth athletics; to provide for the Coach Safely Act; to provide for
4limitation of liability; to provide for definitions; to provide for an injury mitigation
5course; to provide for content of youth injury mitigation courses; to provide for
6posting of certain information on the internet; to provide for an effective date; and
7to provide for related matters.
8 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9Section 1. R.S. 9:2798(B)(1) is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S. 9:2798(D)(4)
10 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
11§2798. Limitation of liability of a volunteer athletic coach, manager, team volunteer
12health care healthcare provider, or official; definitions
13*     *       *
14B.(1) The provisions of this Section shall not be applicable unless the
15volunteer athletic coach, manager, athletic trainer, team volunteer health care
16healthcare provider, or sports team official has participated in a safety orientation
17and training program established by the league or team with which he is affiliated
18or a youth injury mitigation course. Any safety orientation and training program
19established in compliance with this Subsection may include, as a condition of
20satisfactory completion, a course in child cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
21Participation in a safety orientation and training program by a coach, manager,
22athletic trainer, team volunteer health care healthcare provider, or sports team
23official may be waived by the league prior to the individual's or person's participation
24in the sporting activities or in the practice thereof upon submission of appropriate
25documented evidence as to that individual's or person's proficiency in first aid and
  Page 1 of 3
  Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
  words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
 SB NO. 260  ENROLLED
1safety, which may include a current certification in child cardiopulmonary
2resuscitation.
3*       *      *
4D. For the purposes of this Section, the following phrases shall have the
5meanings hereafter ascribed to them:
6*       *      *
7(4) "Youth injury mitigation course" means a course approved by the
8Louisiana Department of Health that includes instruction in all of the following:
9(a) Emergency preparedness and planning and rehearsal for responding
10to traumatic injuries sustained during youth athletic activities.
11(b) Concussions and head trauma.
12(c) Heat and extreme weather-related injuries.
13(d) Musculoskeletal overuse, physical conditioning, recovery, and
14training equipment usage.
15(e) Heart defects and abnormalities leading to sudden cardiac death.
16Section 2. R.S. 40:1087.2 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
17§1087.2. Youth injury mitigation courses; approval process
18A. The Louisiana Department of Health shall establish and administer
19a process for approving courses that meet the requirements of a youth injury
20mitigation course.
21B. Completion of an approved youth injury mitigation course may be
22used to satisfy the requirements of a safety orientation and training program in
23R.S. 9:2798. Each youth injury mitigation course shall include instruction on the
24following:
25(1) Emergency preparedness and planning and rehearsal for responding
26to traumatic injuries sustained during youth athletic activities.
27(2) Heat and extreme weather-related injuries.
28(3) Musculoskeletal overuse, physical conditioning, recovery, and
29training equipment usage.
30(4) Heart defects and abnormalities leading to sudden cardiac death.
  Page 2 of 3
  Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
  words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
 SB NO. 260  ENROLLED
1C. Not later than one hundred eighty days after the effective date of this
2Section, the department shall publish and maintain on its official website a list
3of approved courses. The department shall annually review and update the list
4of approved injury mitigation courses.
5D. The department may adopt rules, in accordance with the
6Administrative Procedure Act, as necessary to carry out the provisions of this
7Section.
8E. This Section shall not require the department to spend its funds to pay
9for the development of the training courses provided in this Section. The
10department may accept donated online courses, provided that the donated
11courses are approved by the department.
12Section 3. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
13 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
14 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
15 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
16 effective on the day following such approval.
17Section 4. This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Coach Safely Act".
  PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
  SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
  GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
 APPROVED:
  Page 3 of 3
  Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
  words in boldface type and underscored are additions.