Senate Bill S5295

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Prohibits children twelve years old and younger from playing tackle football

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Health Committee

  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

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2025-S5295 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Health
Law Section:
Public Health Law
Laws Affected:
Add §2596, Pub Health L
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:
S4666

2025-S5295 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Prohibits children twelve years old and younger from playing tackle football.

2025-S5295 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S5295 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5295
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 20, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sen. SEPULVEDA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
 
 AN  ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to prohibiting chil-
   dren twelve years old and younger from playing tackle football
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "John Mack-
 ey youth football protection act".
   §  2. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 2596 to
 read as follows:
   § 2596. PROHIBITION OF TACKLE FOOTBALL. 1. NO CHILD TWELVE  YEARS  OLD
 OR YOUNGER SHALL PLAY, PRACTICE, OR OTHERWISE ENGAGE IN ORGANIZED TACKLE
 FOOTBALL;  PROVIDED  HOWEVER,  THAT  NOTHING  WITHIN  THIS SECTION SHALL
 PROHIBIT CHILDREN TWELVE YEARS OLD AND YOUNGER FROM PLAYING, PRACTICING,
 OR OTHERWISE PARTICIPATING IN  ANY  FORM  OF  FOOTBALL  WHICH  DOES  NOT
 INVOLVE TACKLING.
   2.  ANY SCHOOL, LEAGUE OR OTHER ENTITY WHOSE PURPOSE IS TO ALLOW CHIL-
 DREN TO PARTICIPATE IN FOOTBALL, WHO ALLOWS CHILDREN TWELVE YEARS OLD OR
 YOUNGER TO PLAY, PRACTICE, OR OTHERWISE ENGAGE IN TACKLE FOOTBALL  SHALL
 BE LIABLE FOR A CIVIL PENALTY UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE TWO OF ARTI-
 CLE ONE OF THIS CHAPTER.
   3. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION:
   (A)  "ORGANIZED  TACKLE  FOOTBALL" SHALL INCLUDE ANY PRACTICE, GAME OR
 OTHER ACTIVITY WHICH INVOLVES ENGAGING IN TACKLE FOOTBALL AND  WHICH  IS
 ORGANIZED BY A SCHOOL, OR PUBLIC OR PRIVATE LEAGUE OR OTHER ENTITY WHOSE
 PURPOSE IS TO ALLOW CHILDREN TO PARTICIPATE IN CONTACT FOOTBALL.
   (B) "TACKLE" SHALL MEAN TO PHYSICALLY IMPEDE THE FORWARD MOVEMENT OF A
 PLAYER WHO IS IN POSSESSION OF THE BALL TO THE EXTENT THAT:
   (I)  THE PLAYER'S FORWARD MOVEMENT IS STOPPED AND THE PLAYER IS UNABLE
 TO RESUME SUCH FORWARD MOVEMENT; OR
   (II) THE PLAYER IS FORCED TO TOUCH SOME PART  OF  THEIR  BODY  TO  THE
 GROUND OTHER THAN THE PLAYER'S HANDS OR FEET.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

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