Legislation to protect high school athletes from the dangers of repeated concussions is headed to the House's amending order, after the House State Affairs Committee defeated a motion to kill the bill on a 7-9 vote. Proposed amendments from the bill's sponsors would launch a program of education for school sports coaches along with guidelines on when to remove a young athlete from practice or games through a rule-making process at the state Board of Education, rather than setting those standards in state law; they'd also rename the bill "Kort's Law," after a young man from eastern Idaho who suffered permanent brain damage from a repeat concussion at a high school football game, and who testified last week in favor of the bill.

Rep. Brent Crane, R-Nampa, pushed to kill the bill instead, though he said he was torn and supported its intent. "I was a three-sport athlete and also a high school coach, so I understand the issues surrounding this particular piece of legislation," Crane said. "We are asking coaches to become the medical examiner in the midst of the most intense part of their process, and that's during the game. ... I think that there's a lot of pressure on a coach, and then you add this on." He added, "I've popped some guys and I've been popped myself and jumped back up and been a little woozy, coach never did ask me if I was all right. ... And to put that liability on the coach, that if I were to have a concussion, and my parents were to file suit against the coach, I think that's not fair."

Backers of the bill said coaches already are liable for the safety of their student-athletes, and cited a long string of court cases. The committee voted unanimously to send HB 676 to the amending order with committee amendments attached, though others may offer amendments as well.

---

---