BILL NUMBER: S9853A
SPONSOR: BAILEY
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to the supervision of
athletic trainers
 
PURPOSE:
To modernize the Athletic Training Practice Act by increasing the
current 1:4 supervising physician-to-athletic trainer ratio to 1:6.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Subdivision 2 of section 8351 of the education law, as
amended by chapter 733 of the laws of 2023 is amended to increase the
supervising physician to athletic trainer ratio from 1:4 to 1:6.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
This legislation increases the physician to trainer ratio to from 1 to 4
to 1 to 6, with all existing supervision requirements, written agree-
ments and physician medical direction unchanged. This legislation seeks
to address the primary hardships that currently exist with the 1 to 4
ratio.
The current ratio has limited access to large events and unnecessarily
restricts medical staffing while reducing on-site access to care.
Coverage gaps in schools and youth sports (K-12, collegiate, and commu-
nity programs), especially in rural and underserved areas have struggled
to staff athletic events adequately leaving gaps in injury prevention
and emergency responses.
The 1 to 4 ratio simply does not reflect modem sports medicine practice
or supervision standards used by comparable physician-supervised
professions.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately

Statutes affected:
S9853: 8351 education law, 8351(2) education law
S9853A: 8351 education law, 8351(2) education law