Newsom vows veto for California youth tackle football ban
The Democratic governor pours cold water on proposal before it can move through the Legislature.
SACRAMENTO, California — Gov. Gavin Newsom extinguished an effort to ban youth tackle football in California on Tuesday, vowing to veto a measure that was gaining support among Democrats but emerging as a new front in the culture wars.
Newsom, in a statement shared exclusively with POLITICO, said he would not sign proposed first-in-the-nation legislation to ban the sport for children 12 and under because of concerns about head injuries.
“I am deeply concerned about the health and safety of our young athletes, but an outright ban is not the answer,” Newsom said. “My administration will work with the Legislature and the bill’s author to strengthen safety in youth football — while ensuring parents have the freedom to decide which sports are most appropriate for their children.”
The governor said he plans to consult with health and sports medicine experts, coaches, parents, and community members to ensure California maintains the highest standards in the country for youth football safety.
“We owe that to the legions of families in California who have embraced youth sports,” he added.
Newsom’s decision to weigh in on the pending legislation speaks to its potential response as a culture war issue. Critics, including Democrats in the state, had moved to characterize the proposal as unnecessary government overreach and another example of politicians thinking they know better than parents.
Supporters lined up to speak to its necessity, saying that the earlier kids start getting hit in the head, the greater the likelihood that they develop a chronic brain disorder, called CTE, later in life.
The legislation by Assemblymember Kevin McCarty, a Sacramento Democrat, came four years after Newsom and California lawmakers moved to strengthen protections for young athletes with passage of the California Youth Football Act, which established new safety standards. Newsom pointed to that law in his statement Tuesday, saying it provides a comprehensive safety framework for young athletes, including equipment standards and restrictions on exposure to full-contact tackles.
Newsom in 2022 vetoed another bill by McCarty that would have established a committee to study CTE in youth football, citing the need for the California Youth Football Act to have more time to take effect.
At least five other states have tried and failed to pass youth tackle bans, including New York, where one lawmaker has been proposing a ban for the last decade.
Newsom has been sensitive to headline-grabbing proposals that he believes cast the state as out-of-touch and put Democrats in a tough position heading into the election year. Last week, he reaffirmed his opposition to a new tax on the wealthy, arguing that the state already relies heavily on the rich to help balance its budget.