Read the full stored bill text
2025-2026 Bill 4753: Athletic Trainers' Loan Assistance Grants Program - South Carolina Legislature Online
South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
Download
This Bill
in Microsoft Word Format
Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
H. 4753
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. Wooten, Pope, Collins, Cobb-Hunter and McDaniel
Document Path: LC-0480WAB26.docx
Introduced in the House on January 13, 2026
Currently residing in the House
Summary: Athletic Trainers' Loan Assistance Grants Program
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date
Body
Action Description with journal page number
12/16/2025
House
Prefiled
12/16/2025
House
Referred to Committee on
Education and Public Works
1/13/2026
House
Introduced and read first time (
House Journal-page 78
)
1/13/2026
House
Referred to Committee on
Education and Public Works
(
House Journal-page 78
)
3/24/2026
House
Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Pope,
Collins, Cobb-Hunter, McDaniel
View the latest
legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
12/17/2025
A bill
TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION
59-111-35
SO AS TO CREATE THE "ATHLETIC TRAINERS' LOAN ASSISTANCE GRANTS
PROGRAM" FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING CERTIFIED ATHLETIC TRAINERS IN THE PUBLIC
SCHOOLS OF THIS STATE GRANTS TO ASSIST WITH THE REPAYMENT OF SUBSIDIZED OR
UNSUBSIDIZED FEDERAL STUDENT LOANS INCURRED IN OBTAINING EDUCATION REQUIRED for
THEIR CERTIFICATION, TO PROVIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE GRANTS AND GRANT
RECIPIENTS, AND TO PROVIDE RELATED REQUIREMENTS OF THE STATE COMMISSION ON
HIGHER EDUCATION, STATE BOARD OF MEDICAL EXAMINERS, AND ATHLETIC TRAINERS'
ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AMONG OTHER THINGS.
B
e it enacted by the
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
S
ECTION 1.
A
rticle 1, Chapter 111, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is
amended by adding:
S
ection
59-111-35
.
(
A) For the purposes of
this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
(
1)
"Athletic trainer" has the same meaning as in Section
40-47-1710
(1).
(
2)
"Athletic Trainers' Advisory Committee" or "Committee" means the committee
established pursuant to Section
40-47-1720
.
(
3)
"Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer or Board of Certification,
Inc." or "BOC" means the organization for certified athletic trainers as
provided in Section
40-47-1710
(4).
(
4)
"Board of Medical Examiners" means the board established pursuant to Section
40-47-10
.
(
5)
"Commission on Higher Education" or "Commission" means the commission
established pursuant to Chapter 103.
(
B)
(
1) This section must be administered
by the Commission on Higher Education in consultation with the Athletic
Trainers' Advisory Committee.
(
2)
A percentage not to exceed ten percent of any annual appropriations received by
the program may be expended for the operation and administrative requirements
provided in this section.
(
3)
The requirements of this section are contingent upon available funding for the
program.
(
4)
The commission, in consultation with the committee, may adopt rules for the
administration and implementation of this section.
(
C)
(
1) The Commission on Higher
Education, in consultation with the State Department of Education and Board of
Medical Examiners, shall develop an "Athletic Trainers' Loan Assistance Grants
Program" to provide certified athletic trainers in the public schools of this
State grants not to exceed seven thousand five hundred dollars per year worked
or three thousand seven hundred fifty dollars per semester worked, for a
maximum of four consecutive years. The purpose of the grants is to help
recipients with the repayment of subsidized or unsubsidized federal student
loans incurred in obtaining education required for licensure as a certified
athletic trainer. If there are insufficient funds in the Education Lottery
Account to provide the grant to each eligible recipient for a particular year,
priority must be given to those athletic trainers who serve geographic areas of
critical need as determined by the State Department of Education.
(
2)
The commission may award loan assistance from the program to eligible
applicants. To be eligible for loan assistance, an applicant must:
(
a)
be a citizen or a lawful permanent resident of the United States;
(
b)
hold an approved degree from an approved institution, each of which must have
been approved by the Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer or Board
of Certification, Inc. for the purpose of satisfying the BOC's requirements to
become a certified athletic trainer;
(
c)
be licensed and in good standing with the Board of Medical Examiners pursuant
to Article 11, Chapter 47, Title 40;
(
d)
provide an average of at least twenty hours of athletic training services per
week at qualifying institutions throughout the year in this State;
(
e)
have outstanding subsidized or unsubsidized federal student loans; and
(
f)
satisfy additional continuing eligibility criteria established by the
commission in consultation with the Athletic Trainers' Advisory Committee.
(
3)
Loan assistance awards must be distributed directly to eligible applicants in
two disbursements during the applicable year with one disbursement being made
after January first and the second disbursement being made after June first.
(
4)
An eligible applicant must notify the commission in writing of any change in
status within thirty days after the change. Failure to notify the commission of
a change in status must affect future eligibility. A change in status includes
a change in:
(
a)
name;
(
b)
residence; or
(
c)
employment status.
(
5)
The commission shall inform an eligible applicant awarded loan assistance that
loan assistance is considered income by the Internal Revenue Service.
(
6)
(
a) The commission shall determine the
necessary procedures for awarding loan assistance if an eligible applicant's
total awards exceed available funding.
(
b)
The commission shall prioritize loan assistance to eligible educators prior to
awarding loan assistance to eligible licensed athletic trainers.
(
D)
An individual or institution not satisfied with the commission's actions in
administering the program may submit a written petition to the commission
within thirty days after notice of the action. If the individual or institution
is not satisfied with the commission's response, the individual or institution
may request a rehearing within twenty days after receipt of the response. The
commission shall schedule the rehearing within twenty days after receiving the
rehearing request. The individual or institution may present written and oral
evidence supporting the petition and may be represented by counsel. The
decision of the commission following the rehearing is final.
(
E)
The commission shall develop an accountability and evaluation plan for the
program that:
(
1)
identifies the goals, objectives, and expected outputs and outcomes of the
program;
(
2)
describes the specific activities of the program and how those activities will
achieve expected outcomes;
(
3)
defines the expected metrics of success and provides a monitoring plan to
regularly assess performance; and
(
4)
provides an evaluation plan to assess the impact of expected outcomes.
S
ECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval
by the Governor.
----XX----
This web page was last updated on January 13, 2026 at 2:40 PM