49470-49474

EDUCATION CODE
SECTION 49470-49474




49470.  The governing board of any school district or districts may
provide, or make available, medical or hospital service, or both,
through nonprofit membership corporations defraying the cost of
medical service or hospital service, or both, or through group,
blanket or individual policies of accident insurance from authorized
insurer, for pupils of the district or districts injured while
participating in athletic activities under the jurisdiction of, or
sponsored or controlled by, the district or districts or the
authorities of any school of the district or districts. The cost of
the insurance or membership may be paid, from the funds of the
district or districts, or by the insured pupil, his parent or
guardian.
   The insurance may be purchased from, or the membership may be
taken in, only such companies or corporations as are authorized to do
business in this state.



49471.  If the governing board of any school district maintaining
junior high schools or high schools does not provide or make
available medical and hospital services for pupils of the district
injured while participating in athletic activities, in accordance
with Section 49470, the board shall notify, in writing, the parent or
guardian of each pupil of the district participating in such
athletic activities that the services are not provided or made
available by the governing board.



49471.5.  (a) If funding is made available for this purpose, the
Legislature requests the University of California to design a study
and conduct a representative sampling of pupil injuries from
participation in high school athletic events over a period of three
school years commencing with the 2000-01 school year. It is further
the intent of the Legislature that the University of California
consult with the State Board of Education and the State Department of
Education regarding the design of the study and regarding the
university's procedure for ensuring the success of the project. The
data shall be compiled and analyzed so as to permit valid conclusions
to be drawn and recommendations to be made regarding, at a minimum,
all of the following:
   (1) The actual statewide frequency of injuries and reinjuries.
   (2) Methods for creating intervention programs to decrease the
incidence of injuries.
   (3) The number and extent of training of primary health personnel
responsible for the care of athletes at the high schools.
   (4) Possible methods for decreasing health care costs due to
improper evaluation and care of athletic injuries.
   (5) Identifying risk factors for high school athletes including
factors relating to the severity of injuries, the immediate
evaluation, care, and treatment of injuries, and the time loss
associated with injuries.
   (6) Recommended programs, policies, and procedures designed to
provide long-term solutions for preventing injuries to high school
athletes.
   (7) Developing an athletic safety plan, including, but not limited
to, written safety standards of care for high school athletes.
   (b) The completed project, including an executive summary, key
findings, conclusions, and recommendations, shall be disseminated to
all public high schools in the state, and shall be submitted to the
Legislature and the State Board of Education by December 1, 2003.
   (c) The annual General Fund costs of the program shall not exceed
seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000).
   (d) This section shall apply to the University of California only
if its participation is approved by resolution of the Regents of the
University of California.



49472.  The governing board of any school district or districts
which does not employ at least five physicians as full-time
supervisors of health, or the equivalent thereof, may provide, or
make available, medical or hospital service, or both, through
nonprofit membership corporations defraying the cost of medical
service or hospital service, or both, or through group, blanket or
individual policies of accident insurance or through policies of
liability insurance from authorized insurers, for injuries to pupils
of the district or districts arising out of accidents occurring while
in or on buildings and other premises of the district or districts
during the time such pupils are required to be therein or thereon by
reason of their attendance upon a regular day school of such district
or districts or while being transported by the district or districts
to and from school or other place of instruction, or while at any
other place as an incident to school-sponsored activities and while
being transported to, from and between such places. No pupils shall
be compelled to accept such service without his consent, or if a
minor without the consent of his parent or guardian. The cost of the
insurance or membership may be paid, from the funds of the district
or districts, or by the insured pupil, his parent or guardian.
   Such insurance may be purchased from, or such membership may be
taken in, only such companies or corporations as are authorized to do
business in California.



49473.  To facilitate the authority referred to in Sections 49470
and 49472 the governing board of the school district or school
districts may authorize the distribution by district personnel of
such printed matter as may be furnished by the insurer or membership
corporation.



49474.  The governing board of any school district or districts may
provide, or make available, ambulance service, paid for out of school
district funds, for pupils, instructors, spectators, and other
individuals in attendance at athletic activities under the
jurisdiction of, or sponsored or controlled by, the district or
districts or the authorities of any school of the district or
districts.