HB 7171 Summary

• Expands the definition of "athletic training" to include recognition of potential illness, wellness care services, and emergency care, moving beyond injury treatment alone.

• Replaces the term "athlete" with "physically active individual" throughout the statute to broaden applicability beyond organized sports to include recreational activities and employment-related physical activities.

• Adds new definitions for "illness," "wellness care," and clarifies that "health care provider" now includes licensed nurses under section 20-94a, in addition to physicians, chiropractors, podiatrists, and naturopaths.

• Requires athletic trainers who provide direct patient care and apply for license renewal to maintain professional liability insurance of at least $500,000 per occurrence and $1,500,000 aggregate, effective October 1, 2017.

• Modifies licensure requirements to accept graduate degrees in addition to baccalaureate degrees and establishes additional supervision and OSHA training requirements for athletic trainers working in non-sports settings like workplaces.