Subtitle 54 – Youth Athletic Protection

In this subtitle, the following terms have the meanings indicated.

“Abuse” has the meaning stated in Title 5, Subtitle 7 of the State Family Law Article {“Definitions: Abuse”}.

“Automated external defibrillator” means a medical device, approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration that:

“Coach” means an individual over the age of 18 who, whether paid or unpaid:

“Concussion” means a traumatic injury to the brain causing an immediate, short-lived change in mental status or an alteration of normal consciousness resulting from:

“Department” means the Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks.

“Facility” means any outdoor or indoor athletic space under the management of the Department.

“Heat exhaustion” means a reaction to excessive heat marked by prostration, weakness, and collapse resulting from dehydration.

“Heat stroke” means a severe illness caused by exposure to excessively high temperatures and characterized by:

“Neglect” has the meaning stated in Title 5, Subtitle 7 of the State Family Law Article {“Definitions: Neglect”}.

“Sudden cardiac arrest” means a condition in which the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating.

“Youth athlete” means any individual under the age of 18 who participates in a youth sports program in a non-supervisory role.

“Youth sports program” means a program or event, including instruction, practice, or competition, organized for youth athletes under the age of 18 years:

Before acting as a coach for a youth sports program, an individual must have successfully completed within the last 24 months training approved in advance by the Department in:

The Department may not issue a permit to any youth sports program for the use of any Department facility unless the applicant has submitted adequate documentation that all coaches associated with the program have complied with this section.

In consultation and collaboration with the Baltimore City Department of Health, the Department must maintain a list of training courses or programs that would satisfy the requirements of this section.

The Department may collaborate with the Baltimore City Department of Health to develop its own training program to satisfy the requirements of this section.

For the purposes of conducting tournaments or other similar sporting events, the Department must accept training substantially equivalent to the training required by this section from any regional, local, state, or national youth sports organization using a Department facility under a permit issued to another youth sports program.

For the purposes of this section, “disqualifying medical condition” means:

A youth athlete who is suspected of sustaining or undergoing a disqualifying medical condition must be immediately removed from physical participation in any athletic activity by a coach or a member of the coach’s staff.

A youth athlete who has been removed from an athletic activity may not return to physical participation until the youth athlete has been evaluated by a licensed or certified health-care provider and receives written clearance to return to physical participation from that provider.

The Department must make an automated external defibrillator available to any youth sports program holding a permit for use of any Department facility.

Nothing in this section imposes any duty or obligation on any person to provide assistance with an automated external defibrillator to a victim of a medical emergency.