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HB1868 • 2026

Athletic trainers in schools

Expanding access to athletic trainers in schools.

Education
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Representative Schmick
Last action
2026-01-12
Official status
H Approps
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Athletic trainers in schools

Athletic trainers in schools

What This Bill Does

  • Athletic trainers in schools

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-12 House

    By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.

Official Summary Text

Athletic trainers in schools

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
AN ACT Relating to expanding access to athletic trainers in 1
schools; and adding a new section to chapter 43.70 RCW.2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 43.70 4
RCW to read as follows: 5
(1)(a) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for 6
this specific purpose, the department shall establish a matching 7
grant program to assist critical access hospitals in hiring a 8
licensed athletic trainer whose services will be available free of 9
charge to students in local school districts. 10
(b) The department shall provide matching funds of up to $60,000 11
to a critical access hospital that demonstrates, pursuant to 12
application criteria established by the department, that it has 13
available dedicated funds to pay the salary of a licensed athletic 14
trainer. 15
(2) Grant funding provided under this section may only be used to 16
pay for licensed athletic trainer salaries, medical supplies and 17
equipment, and education and marketing to promote program awareness.18
(3) A critical access hospital applying for a grant under this 19
section must document in a manner specified by the department:20
H-1191.1
HOUSE BILL 1868
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representative Schmick
Read first time 02/06/25. Referred to Committee on Appropriations.
p. 1 HB 1868
(a) The school districts to be served by any athletic trainer 1
funded by the matching grant program and the need of those school 2
districts for expanded access to an athletic trainer;3
(b) The manner in which the hospital will spend any grant funding 4
it receives under this section; 5
(c) The ability of the hospital to provide funds equal to the 6
amount requested from the department in matching funds; and7
(d) Any other information required by the department.8
(4) A critical access hospital that has successfully applied for 9
a grant under this section is not eligible to receive a subsequent 10
grant within 12 months of receiving the prior grant.11
(5) By June 1, 2026, and in accordance with RCW 43.01.036, the 12
department shall submit a report to the relevant policy and fiscal 13
committees of the legislature providing an update on the status of 14
implementation of the matching grant program under this section.15
(6) The department may adopt any rules necessary to implement 16
this section. 17
(7) For purposes of this section, "critical access hospital" has 18
the same meaning as described in RCW 74.09.5225. 19
--- END ---
p. 2 HB 1868