Northbrook Neurologist Partners With Sente On Head Injury Bill

In response to increasing awareness of the dangers of concussions and brain injuries triggered by school sports, State Rep. Carol Sente (D-Vernon Hills) will host a public hearing on the matter to learn more about local high school policies, hear testimonies from health care experts and athletic professionals, and discuss her newly filed House Bill 1205 on this topic.

The hearing will take place from 7-9 p.m. Feb. 25 at Vernon Hills High School.

Larry Robbins, a neorologist and headache specialist in Vernon Hills teamed up with Sente to write the bill, he wrote in an email to Patch.

"This is a controversial bill and we invite different opinions," Robbins wrote in an email.

Sente encourages community members to RSVP, indicating if they would like to offer brief testimony, ask a question or simply reserve a seat in the audience by calling her constituent service office at (847) 478-9909.

“The Illinois General Assembly passed landmark concussion legislation two years ago,” Sente explained. “While that bill was a strong starting point, I believe there is much more we need to do to prevent temporary and permanent brain injuries in our young athletes. Professional and college football teams are implementing policies to limit full contact practice as evidence mounts that even small, non-concussive hits are having longlasting effects. It is time we reconsider what type of practice is more tradition versus necessity to prepare for the weekend game.”

— Information provided by the office of Carol Sente