A1446, a measure to revise New Jersey’s Athletic Training Licensure Act, was released as amended by the Assembly Oversight Reform and Federal Regulations Committee after testimony from professional athletic trainers and allied health representatives.

Supporters told the committee the bill updates educational requirements to reflect a shift to a master’s-level entry degree for athletic trainers, replaces the term “athlete” with “physically active person,” and aligns credentialing language with the current board of certification.

The Athletic Trainer Society of New Jersey presented four witnesses in favor: Eric Orlando of the Zidoo Group; Dr. Jessica Springstead, chair of governmental affairs for ATSNJ and senior manager at RWJBarnabas’s Musculoskeletal Sports Institute; Steven Barandik, president of ATSNJ and director of athletics and co-curricular programs at Monroe Township High School; and Kenneth Cieslak, immediate past president of ATSNJ and a chiropractic physician with Atlantic Health System. Steven Barandik told the committee, “Athletic trainers are highly qualified, multi skilled healthcare professionals,” and described the profession’s role in injury prevention, manual therapy, and filling workforce gaps during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Jessica Springstead said the bill “would modernize aspects of the current licensure act to more closely align with the educational and state testing standards to reflect the most recent changes incorporated at the national level for this profession, most notably transitioning from an entry level bachelor's degree to an entry level master's degree.” Kenneth Cieslak reiterated that the bill “does not change our scope and does not change our approach to managing the individuals we treat. We still work under the direct supervision of a physician plan of care and treat accordingly.”

Committee chair Atkins called for a motion to release A1446 as written and presented; the motion was moved and seconded and passed on roll call. Assembly members recorded on the roll call as voting yes included Assemblyman Terese, Assemblymember Ganemort, Assemblywoman Murphy, Assemblyman Miller, Vice Chair Grama and Chair Atkins; the committee recorded the bill as “released as amended.”

Proponents said the change from “athlete” to “physically active person” clarifies that licensed athletic trainers increasingly work in non‑traditional settings (physician practices, performing arts, industry and the military) and that the revised educational standard follows national changes. Supporters also said athletic trainers reduce lost work days and health care costs by returning patients to work sooner.

No opposition testimony was taken on the record during the committee hearing. With the committee’s release, A1446 moves forward for further legislative consideration.

Supporters asked the committee to preserve the bill’s supervision and physician plan‑of‑care language; that restriction remained in the amended text according to testimony from Kenneth Cieslak.