Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Appointments topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee hears one nomination for Board of Athletic Trainers ahead of consolidation work
Summary
The committee heard the governor’s nomination of Tracy Hauser to the Board of Athletic Trainers; licensing and industry stakeholders supported confirmation. Officials warned the board will play a role in an upcoming consolidation of small boards.
Senate Public Health opened a hearing on Senate Resolution 11 Friday to consider the governor’s appointment of Tracy Hauser of Columbia Falls to the Board of Athletic Trainers.
Sponsor Senator Dennis Lenz introduced the single nominee. Hannah Slusser, representing the governor’s office, said the five-member board should include a physician (preferably with sports medicine), one public member and three athletic trainers, and that the 2023 law changes enabled restaggering of terms. Kevin Bragg, bureau chief for professional licensing at the Montana Department of Labor and Industry, supported confirmation.
Sarah Swanson, commissioner of the Department of Labor and Industry, told the committee a House bill will soon be introduced to consolidate several small occupational licensing boards — including physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology and athletic trainers — and said qualified members will be important for the rulemaking and interim work ahead. “They have their work cut out for them in the next interim,” Swanson said.
Tracy Hauser, testifying by phone, described nearly 30 years as an athletic trainer across college, professional and high school settings and said she sought the appointment to share that experience on the board. Riley Ungaretti, president of the Montana Athletic Trainers Association, said Hauser had been serving on the board since July 2024 and supported her confirmation.
No opponents appeared and the committee did not take a confirmation vote at the hearing.
