s_blt_2016a_2016-03-30t14:00:46z1 Hearing Summary

Date: 03/30/2016

02:07 PM -- SB 16-161



Senator Crowder introduced Senate Bill 16-161, concerning regulation of athletic trainers. The bill, recommended by the Colorado Commission on Uniform State Laws, requires athletic trainers to be registered with the Division of Professions and Occupations (DPO) in the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), and reinstates the Athletic Trainer Practice Act as it existed prior to its 2015 repeal, by

• specifying educational background, certifications, and examination requirements;
• providing DORA with the ability to set fees and schedule renewals of registrations;
• establishing the grounds for disciplinary proceedings and authorizing the DPO director to take disciplinary actions; and
• establishing a class 2 misdemeanor for conviction of the offense of practicing without an active registration, and a class 1 misdemeanor for a subsequent offense.

In addition, the bill makes some changes to the act, including recodification, terminology modifications, and the following substantive changes:

• adding title protection for the abbreviation ATC (Athletic Trainer Certified) to limit its use to registered athletic trainers;
• requiring evidence of current national certification at registration and, if required by the DPO director, at renewal; and
• adding as grounds for discipline the failure of an athletic trainer to practice pursuant to the direction of a Colorado-licensed or otherwise lawfully practicing health care professional and the failure to practice in a manner that meets generally accepted standards of athletic training practice.
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  02:11 PM -- Paul Angelico, Colorado High School Athletic Association, spoke in opposition to the bill as drafted. He responded to questions from the committee concerning a potential amendment to the bill. He responded to other questions from the committee.

02:18 PM -- Mark Peters, Colorado Athletic Trainers Association (CATA), spoke in support of the bill. He responded to questions from the committee.



02:33 PM -- Chris O'Dell, representing herself, spoke in support of the bill. She responded to questions from the committee.



02:40 PM -- Joe Ellis, President of the Denver Broncos, spoke in support of the bill. He responded to questions to the committee.



02:46 PM -- Wayne Gersoff, representing himself, spoke in support of the bill. He responded to questions from the committee.



02:50 PM -- Mike DaRosa, representing himself, spoke in support of the bill. He responded to questions from the committee.



02:56 PM -- Brigette Younger, Children's Hospital of Colorado, spoke in support of the bill.



03:00 PM -- Jay Albright, Children's Hospital of Colorado, spoke in support of the bill. He responded to questions from the committee.



03:06 PM -- Cindy Endicott, CATA, spoke in support of the bill.



03:13 PM -- Cathy Calderwood, representing herself, spoke in support of the bill. She responded to questions from the committee.



03:21 PM -- Jared Hanson, representing himself, spoke in support of the bill. He responded to questions from the committee.



03:26 PM -- Darryl Miller, Denver Public Schools, spoke in support of the bill. He responded to questions from the committee.



03:34 PM



Senator Crowder made closing comments on the bill.