Senate education hearing holds three bills on athletic trainers, concussion protocols and EpiPens for further study

The Rhode Island Senate Education Committee held for further study three related bills addressing concussion return-to-play rules, the presence of athletic trainers in schools and availability of EpiPens at school athletic events.

Proponents said the measures—referred to in testimony as bill 3 19, bill 3 20 and bill 3 21—seek to reduce risk to student athletes by clarifying who may sign students back into play after a concussion, expanding access to athletic trainers at secondary schools, and equipping athletic trainers with EpiPens and related training.

The bills’ sponsor and witnesses described the three measures in sequence. Mark DeSisto, a testifying athletic trainer, described bill 3 19 as a “return to learn” measure that would expand the personnel who may clear a student to return to practice or play to include physician assistants and athletic trainers. “This would . . . ensure that a student athlete suffering a concussion goes through proper protocols, with the ability to return to the classroom,” DeSisto said. He also urged passage of bill 3 20, which proponents framed as a requirement that school districts designate an athletic trainer for each secondary school within the district, and bill 3 21, which would require athletic trainers to be…