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Committee advances overhaul of Athletic Trainer Licensure Act to modernize education and scope language
Summary
Senate Bill 317, updating the Athletic Trainer Licensure Act to reflect an entry‑level master’s degree and replace 'athlete' with 'physically active person,' was released as amended after broad support from the Athletic Trainer Society of New Jersey and allied groups.
Senate Bill 317, which would revise the Athletic Trainer Licensure Act, was released by the Senate Commerce Committee on March 24 after testimony from practitioners and professional groups who described the package as a modernization to align state law with national education and certification standards.
Steve Varandika, president of the Athletic Trainer Society of New Jersey, told the committee the bill updates the law for a profession that has shifted to an entry‑level master’s degree and now serves more patients in non‑traditional settings such as physician offices, hospitals and occupational health centers. "This legislation would modernize aspects of the current licensure act," Varandika said, noting the measure reflects national standards and addresses workforce shortages.
Several practitioners — including Dr. Jessica Springstead and Dr. Ken Cieslak — described the amendments as the result of months of stakeholder work and said the changes do not expand practitioners’ scope of practice beyond the supervision and plan‑of‑care structures already in place. The committee voted to release the bill as amended.
What’s next: With committee release, S317 moves to further legislative consideration; sponsors and professional groups said they will continue to work with lawmakers on technical language and implementation.
