The full listing of rules changes for the 2020 season were recently released and contain ten approved changes which include a new procedure for restarts, a definition of "possession" and notice of changes in required equipment (that will go into effect in 2021 and 2020).

Highlights:

Rule 1-9-1 Art 1
(d) Shoulder pads must be worn (except goalkeepers) and beginning 2022 they must be NOCSAE approved.
(j) Starting in 2021 goalkeepers must wear NOCSAE approved chest pads.

Rationale: The new equipment may provide some [LINK]Commotio Cordis (heart) protection for all players.

Rule 2-7-2f Art 2
This change Spells out the role and responsibilities of the Chief Bench Official (CBO). A new element removes a call for "too few" players and allows a team to play with less than a full complement (as long as they do not run a delayed substitution).

Rationale: There is not an advantage to play with fewer players and it speeds up the game.

4-5-1 Art 1
This one states that a restart can take place even if defensive players are closer than five yards. (there will be more about this later)

4-5-2 Art 2
Defines "possession" as when a "player can perform the normal functions such as carrying, cradling, passsing or shooting."

4-5-3
4-5-6
4-5-7
These changes are the result that a "ball in flight" is no longer needed. For technical fouls it will be treated as a loose ball. Otherwise "team possession and player possession are the same thing.

4-21-1 Art 1
There are a number of rules changes that result from changes to the restart section. In an effort to speed up the game, play may start with defensive players closer than five years as long at the defensive player allows a direct path to the goal and does not defend until a five yard space has been created. If the defensive player violates either of these two conditions, the penalty will be a "delay of game: penalty. Offensive players must still be five yards away from the teammate with the ball.

Also, the goalkeeper is given a maximum of five seconds to reenter the crease on any restart.

4-24-6 Art 6 (NEW)
This rule changes a number of other references, but essentially deals with the removal of a player who exhibits signs of a potential concussion and restates that the time out to do so would be an officials time out.

5-5 Section 5
States that the penalty for an illegal crosse would be a two minute, nonreleasable penalty.

Rationale: Rather than different penalties for different crosse issues, it will now be one penalty.

5-10 Section 10
Throwing the crosse at the ball, player or other game personnel will result in an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. (one to three minutes).

6-1-1 Penalty:
This change updates the language for dealing with a technical foul with and without a slow whistle.

6-2-1 Art 1
More updates have been made to deal with slow whistles under various conditions as they relate to crease violations.

6-5-2 Art 2
This section states that throwing a crosse (other than at a ball, player or person ... as defined in 5-10) is an illegal procedure.

Games rules for Boys lacrosse in New York are governed by the rules committee of the National Federation of State High School Associations and are then reviewed by the NYSPHSAA. The Federation committee meets annually in the summer. The notes of their meeting can be found here.