Official Summary Text
ATHLETIC TRAINERS
Present law prohibits a person from representing themselves or claiming to be an athletic trainer or to perform, for compensation, any of the activities of an athletic trainer without first obtaining a license. An athletic trainer is a person with speci
fic qualifications. This bill revises the definition of "athletic trainer" so that an athletic trainer is not just a person with specific qualifications but, rather, a healthcare provider with the qualifications prescribed in this bill.
Present law provides, upon the advice, consent and oral or written prescriptions or referrals of a physician licensed under one of the professions of the healing arts, an athletic trainer carries out the practice of prevention, recognition, evaluation, m
anagement, disposition, treatment, or rehabilitation of athletic injuries. Athletic injuries are injuries sustained as a result of a person's participation in exercises, sports, games, or recreation requiring physical strength, agility, flexibility, rang
e
of motion, speed, or stamina, or comparable athletic injury that prevents such person from participating in such activities. This bill revises the definition of "athletic injury" to include not just injuries but conditions that limit or prevent a person'
s participation in such above-listed activities, or other activities requiring physical strength, agility, flexibility, range of motion, speed, or stamina, or a condition that prevents the person from participating in such activities.
In carrying out these functions, present law authorizes an athletic trainer to use physical modalities, such as heat, light, sound, cold, electricity, or mechanical devices related to prevention, recognition, evaluation, management, disposition, rehabili
tation, and treatment. This bill removes mechanical devices and adds that an athletic trainer is authorized to use manual techniques, therapeutic devices, and healthcare procedures. "Healthcare procedures" are courses of action intended to achieve a res
ul
t in the delivery of health care, including rectal core thermometer administration, blood glucose monitoring, injection administration, wound closure, dry needling application, and intravenous fluid administration.
ATHLETIC TRAINING STUDENTS
Present law authorizes a person to serve without a license as a student-trainer, or any similar position, if such service is not primarily for compensation and is carried out under the supervision of a licensed athletic trainer or a licensed physician wi
thin the professions of the healing arts. Such supervision must be provided under the guidelines of the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) Board of Certification, Inc. and/or approved by the board of athletic trainers ("board"). This bill, i
ns
tead, requires a supervising physician to be licensed by the board of medical examiners or the board of osteopathic examination. This bill further requires such supervision to be provided under the guidelines of the Board of Certification for the Athleti
c Trainer, Inc. (BOC) and approved by the board.
Present law authorizes persons who are certified by the board as athletic trainers on May 9, 2000 to practice as licensed athletic trainers, provided such persons meet all of the other requirements. This bill removes this provision.
QUALIFICATIONS
Present law generally requires an applicant for an athletic trainer license to possess all of the following qualifications:
Meet the athletic training curriculum requirements of a college or university approved by the board, providing proof of graduation.
Satisfactorily complete all of the NATA Board of Certification, Inc. qualifications.
Be certified as an athletic trainer in good standing by the NATA Board of Certification, Inc. or approved by the board.
This bill changes each reference of the NATA Board of Certification, Inc. to the BOC. This bill further changes the final condition listed above so that an athletic trainer must be both certified as an athletic trainer in good standing by the BOC and ap
proved by the board. The same qualifications are required for license renewal.
OUT-OF-STATE APPLICANTS
Present law requires an out-of-state applicant to possess all qualifications listed above. Upon receipt of the initial athletic trainer licensure fee, the board may grant, without examination, a license to any qualified nonresident athletic trainer who
holds a valid license or certificate issued by another state and whose qualifications are deemed by the board to be at least equivalent to those required for licensure in this state. However, such other state must extend the same privilege to qualified a
th
letic trainers who are residents of this state. An out-of-state applicant from a state not having a licensure or certification act will be eligible to take the jurisprudence examination if certified by the NATA Board of Certification, Inc., and approved
by the board.
This bill changes the NATA Board of Certification, Inc. to the BOC and clarifies that only an out-of-state applicant not having a current licensure or certification act or an expired license or certificate in good standing at time of expiration will be e
ligible to take the jurisprudence examination if certified by the BOC and approved by the board.
ON MARCH 26, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 502, AS AMENDED.
AMENDMENT #1 makes the following changes:
Clarifies that "athletic injury" means any injury sustained by a person as a result of such person's participation in exercises, sports, games, or recreation requiring physical strength, agility, flexibility, range of motion, speed, or stamina, or comparable athletic injury that prevents such person from participating in such activities.
Provides that an athletic trainer is authorized to use mechanical devices in carrying out the practice of prevention, recognition, evaluation, management, disposition, treatment, or rehabilitation of athletic injuries. However, this amendment removes the authority to use manual techniques.
Clarifies that an athletic trainer is authorized to administer a rectal thermometer only in an emergent situation.
Clarifies that wound closure is limited to the closure of a superficial laceration using a dermal adhesive pursuant to a written or oral standing order from a physician.
Clarifies that subcutaneous or intramuscular injection administration is limited to the following medications: (i) epinephrine 1:1000, in liquid medication form or in an auto-injector device, for treatment of anaphylaxis; (ii) naloxone, for treatment of drug overdose; (iii) glucagon, for treatment of diabetic emergency; (iv) flu vaccine, administered to a person nine or older; (v) lidocaine, 1% or 2%, with or without epinephrine; and (vi) intravenous injection administration of dextrose 50% and 25% for use in a diabetic emergency or saline solution and lactated Ringer's solution. However, intravenous injection administration must only be done with proper training and education, including a minimum of four continuing education hours or coursework from a degree program showing education and understanding of intravenous administration.
Provides that the bill does not authorize an athletic trainer to engage in the practice of medicine, osteopathic medicine, podiatry, chiropractic, physical therapy, or nursing.
ON APRIL 13, 2026, THE HOUSE SUBSTITUTED SENATE BILL 502 FOR HOUSE BILL 658, ADOPTED AMENDMENTS #1 AND 3, AND PASSED SENATE BILL 502, AS AMENDED.
AMENDMENT #1
removes lidocaine from the types of subcutaneous or intramuscular injections athletic trainers are authorized to administer.
AMENDMENT #3 c
hanges this bill's effective date from upon becoming a law to July 1, 2026.
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
SENATE BILL 502
By Haile
HOUSE BILL 658
By Hicks T
HB0658
001907
- 1 -
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63,
Chapter 24 relative to athletic trainers.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-24-101, is amended by deleting
the section and substituting:
As used in this chapter:
(1) "Athletic injury" means any injury or condition that limits or prevents a
person's participation in exercises, sports, games, or recreation, or other
activities requiring physical strength, agility, flexibility, range of motion, speed, or
stamina or a condition that prevents the person from participating in such
activities;
(2) "Athletic trainer" means a healthcare provider with the qualifications
prescribed in this chapter who, upon the advice, consent, and oral or written
prescriptions or referrals of a physician licensed under this title, carries out the
practice of prevention, recognition, evaluation, management, disposition,
treatment, or rehabilitation of athletic injuries, and, in carrying out such functions
is authorized to use manual techniques; physical modalities, such as heat, light,
sound, cold, electricity, or therapeutic devices; and healthcare procedures related
to prevention, recognition, evaluation, management, disposition, rehabilitation,
and treatment; athletic trainers shall practice only in areas they are competent,
by reason of training or experience that can be substantiated by records or other
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evidence deemed acceptable by the board in the exercise of the board's
discretion;
(3) "Board" means the board of athletic trainers;
(4) "Board of Certification" or "BOC" means the Board of Certification for
the Athletic Trainer, Inc.; and
(5) "Healthcare procedures" means a course of action intended to
achieve a result in the delivery of health care, including rectal core thermometer
administration, blood glucose monitoring, injection administration, wound closure,
dry needling application, and intravenous fluid administration.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-24-103, is amended by deleting
the section and substituting:
(a) A person shall not represent themselves or claim to be an athletic trainer or
perform any of the activities of an athletic trainer without first obtaining a license under
this chapter.
(b) This chapter does not prevent a person from serving as an athletic training
student, or a similar position if such service is not primarily for compensation and is
carried out under the supervision of a licensed athletic trainer and a physician licensed
under chapter 6 or chapter 9 of this title. Such supervision must be provided under the
guidelines of the Board of Certification and approved by the board.
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-24-104(a)(2), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(2) Satisfactorily completed all of the Board of Certification qualifications and be
certified as an athletic trainer in good standing by the BOC and approved by the board.
SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-24-104(b), is amended by
deleting the language:
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An out-of-state applicant from a state not having a licensure or certification act
will be eligible to take the jurisprudence examination if certified by the NATA
Board of Certification, Inc., and approved by the board.
and substituting:
An out-of-state applicant from a state not having a current licensure or
certification act or an expired license or certificate in good standing at time of
expiration will be eligible to take the jurisprudence examination if certified by the
Board of Certification and approved by the board.
SECTION 5. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-24-105(a)(2), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(2) The applicant is entitled to an athletic trainer's license if the applicant
possesses the qualifications enumerated in § 63-24-104; completes and passes the
certification requirements and examination of the Board of Certification or its equivalent
as determined by the board; completes the jurisprudence examination administered and
selected by the board, to its satisfaction; pays the licensure fee as prescribed in § 63-24-
106; and has not committed an act that constitutes grounds for denial of a license under
§ 63-24-107.
SECTION 6. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.