A Sacramento assemblymember is pushing for a new bill that would ban children under the age of 12 from participating in organized tackle football. Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento, introduced AB 734 with the goal of protecting children’s brain development and reducing the risk of unnecessary injuries. The bill is set to receive its first committee hearing on Wednesday.
Inspired by concussion research and the 2015 movie Concussion, which shed light on head trauma in the NFL, McCarty believes that children should be at least 12 years old before engaging in tackle football. He cited research from reputable institutions such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Boston University, which shows that children who play tackle football experience 23 times more hard head impacts compared to those who play flag football.
This is not the first time McCarty has attempted to introduce such a bill. In 2018, a similar bill failed to make it to a hearing. Since then, other legislation has been enacted to promote youth football safety. Measures have been put in place to improve concussion protocols, limit full-contact practice to two sessions per week with a maximum duration of 30 minutes per session, and provide training for coaches.
AB 734 has garnered support from various organizations and figures, including the California Neurology Society, Chris Nowinski, CEO of the Concussion Legacy Foundation, and NFL Hall of Famer Warren Sapp. However, the bill also faces opposition from several Central Valley youth football groups like the Central Valley Ravens and the Central Valley Eagles football teams.
The California Youth Football Alliance (CYFA) describes the bill as a misguided discriminatory piece of proposed legislation that will only lead to immediate and harmful statewide negative outcomes for California’s youth. The organization argues that the prior legislation has already made the game safer and that youth tackle football serves as a positive influence, particularly in underserved communities where it offers an alternative to drug abuse and gang violence.
Other legislators share concerns about potentially limiting academic and athletic opportunities for young scholar-athletes. Assemblyman Juan Alanis, R-Modesto, questions how banning the most formative years of the sport could impact underserved kids and communities in the long run. Assemblyman Joe Patterson, R-Rocklin, also opposes the bill, emphasizing his position on X (formerly Twitter).
The bill’s fate will be decided in the Assembly Committee for Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Tourism. Chaired by Mike Gipson, D-Carson, the seven-member committee will hold a hearing on Wednesday at 9 a.m.
As the debate over youth tackle football ensues, California prepares for a potentially groundbreaking decision that could impact the future of the sport for young athletes. Despite the contrasting opinions, lawmakers aim to prioritize the safety and well-being of children while considering the broader implications on access to sports and the positive role they play in communities statewide.
