A bill that would ban tackle football for kids under 12 years old advanced out of committee this week and will be heard by the California State Assembly.
Authored by Kevin McCarty, a Democrat out of Sacramento, the bill would not take effect until 2026, and would not be fully implemented until 2029. If passed, California would become the first state to ban youth tackle football, although this is not the first attempt to do so. Previous efforts in California, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey and New York were not successful.
By a 5-2 vote, the bill advanced out of committee and will be heard by the California State Assembly, the state's version of the House of Representatives. If it passes through the 80-member Assembly, AB734 will then move to the 40-member Senate. Passage there would take it to the desk of Governor Gavin Newsom.
“Flag football is an alternative that is safer for youth and can still give them the opportunity to learn the skills to be successful at tackle football later in life,” said McCarty. “The 2023 NFL Pro Bowl was a flag football game for the safety of the players. Why can’t we have that for our youth? AB 734 will help protect kids and nurture their brain development, and not put them in a situation that’s proven to cause irreparable harm.”
Opponents of the bill have argued flag football is not a suitable alternative to tackle, both in the number and types of kids it takes. For some kids, especially the big boys, a ban on tackle football would be replaced by nothing.
Assemblymember Mike Gipson, who chairs the state's sports regulation committee, voted in favor of advancing the bill.
“Football and organizational sports in general are clearly proven ways to keep kids out of trouble,” Gipson, a Democrat, told the Associated Press. “This bill is not taking away that ability, it is simply saying that we’re going to move from tackle football to flag football and we can still have the same learning experiences.”
“In communities that I grew up in and that I currently represent, tackle football is not merely an American pastime. It’s a central occurrence that ties close-knit communities together and integrates the surrounding areas,” Assemblyman Tom Lackey, a Republican, said during Wednesday's hearing, per the Washington Post. “The parents and coaches involved in these sports love the children participating in them. … I trust them to know what is in the best interests of their children.”
The bill would ban tackle football for 6-year-olds beginning in 2025, for kids under 10 starting in 2027, and for 10- and 11-year-olds beginning in 2029.
State law already limits California high school and youth teams to two full-contact practices per week and requires youth coaches to take concussion and head injury education courses.
High school football participation fell from 103,725 players to 84,626 from 2015 to 2022, but rose to 89,178 in 2023, per the California Interscholastic Federation. Calfornia's 10-year participation drop of 13 percent is above the national rate of 10 percent.
Time is ticking on the bill. According to the AP, it must clear the Assembly by the end of this month to have a chance of becoming law this year.