Vermont 2025-2026 Regular Session

Vermont House Bill H0139 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	BILL AS INTRODUCED H.139
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5	5	VT LEG #378668 v.4
6	6	H.139 1
7	7	Introduced by Representatives Hango of Berkshire, Branagan of Georgia, 2
8	8	Christie of Hartford, Cina of Burlington, Coffin of Cavendish, 3
9	9	Demar of Enosburgh, Kascenska of Burke, Krasnow of South 4
10	10	Burlington, Lipsky of Stowe, McFaun of Barre Town, Morgan, 5
11	11	M. of Milton, Noyes of Wolcott, Oliver of Sheldon, Page of 6
12	12	Newport City, Pinsonault of Dorset, Walker of Swanton, and 7
13	13	Wells of Brownington 8
14	14	Referred to Committee on 9
15	15	Date: 10
16	16	Subject: Education; athletics; student health; athletic trainers 11
17	17	Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require the 12
18	18	Agency of Education to convene a working group to study the need and 13
19	19	available resources for requiring the presence of a licensed athletic trainer at all 14
20	20	secondary school athletic events and practices. The working group should also 15
21	21	explore how athletic trainers could be shared between districts or supervisory 16
22	22	unions in a cost-effective manner. 17
23	23	An act relating to requiring licensed athletic trainers at secondary school 18
24	24	athletic events and practices 19 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.139
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29	29	It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 1
30	30	Sec. 1. FINDINGS 2
31	31	The General Assembly finds that: 3
32	32	(1) Most secondary schools in Vermont do not employ any medical 4
33	33	personnel outside of school hours, when most athletic practices and events take 5
34	34	place, and injuries can occur at any time. 6
35	35	(2) In rural Vermont, where the majority of Vermont’s school athletic 7
36	36	facilities are located, emergency medical services (EMS) are spread thinly and 8
37	37	are frequently located a considerable distance away from the location of an 9
38	38	emergency call. 10
39	39	(3) Lack of rural cell phone coverage also impedes calling EMS to the 11
40	40	scene of an injury occurring at a secondary school athletic event. 12
41	41	(4) Many students are without personal or family transportation to 13
42	42	medical facilities on any given day and may delay seeking evaluation and 14
43	43	treatment that could be rendered by a licensed athletic trainer. 15
44	44	(5) Many students lack a primary care provider due to area shortages, 16
45	45	wait times, or family economic situation. For students of lower socioeconomic 17
46	46	status, an athletic trainer may be one of the only accessible medical providers. 18
47	47	Athletic trainers manage a myriad of injuries and illnesses and can make 19
48	48	proper referrals when warranted. 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.139
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53	53	(6) The scope of a licensed athletic trainer’s practice is codified in 26 1
54	54	V.S.A. chapter 83. It includes emergent care, first aid, and diagnostic skills for 2
55	55	various illnesses and injuries, such as concussion management, as well as the 3
56	56	capacity to get to know the whole athlete, both physically and mentally, 4
57	57	including the ability to recognize conditions such as eating disorders, anxiety, 5
58	58	and depression. 6
59	59	(7) Athletic trainers can educate individuals about, prevent, and 7
60	60	rehabilitate athletic-specific injuries and illnesses, which can in turn reduce the 8
61	61	stress placed on the broader health care network, which is already pushing the 9
62	62	limits of its capacity. 10
63	63	Sec. 2. SECONDARY SCHOOL USE OF ATHLETIC TRAINERS 11
64	64	WORKING GROUP; REPORT 12
65	65	(a) Creation. There is created the Secondary School Use of Athletic 13
66	66	Trainers Working Group to study the need and available resources for 14
67	67	requiring the presence of a licensed athletic trainer at all secondary school 15
68	68	athletic events and practices. 16
69	69	(b) Membership. The Working Group shall be composed of the following 17
70	70	members: 18
71	71	(1) the Secretary of Education or designee; 19
72	72	(2) the Executive Director of the Vermont Principals’ Association or 20
73	73	designee; 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.139
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78	78	(3) the Executive Director of the Vermont School Boards Association or 1
79	79	designee; 2
80	80	(4) the Executive Director of the Vermont Superintendents Association 3
81	81	or designee; 4
82	82	(5) the Executive Director of the Vermont National Education 5
83	83	Association or designee; 6
84	84	(6) the Executive Director of the Vermont State Athletic Directors 7
85	85	Association or designee; 8
86	86	(7) the President of the Vermont Association of Athletic Trainers or 9
87	87	designee; and 10
88	88	(8) one licensed athletic trainer who practices at a secondary school, 11
89	89	appointed by the Vermont Association of Athletic Trainers. 12
90	90	(c) Powers and duties. The Working Group shall study the need and 13
91	91	available resources for requiring the presence of a licensed athletic trainer at all 14
92	92	secondary school athletic events and practices, including exploring how 15
93	93	athletic trainers could be shared between districts or supervisory unions in a 16
94	94	cost-effective manner. 17
95	95	(d) Assistance. The Working Group shall have the assistance of the 18
96	96	Agency of Education for the purposes of scheduling meetings and processing 19
97	97	compensation and reimbursement pursuant to subsection (g) of this section. 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.139
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102	102	(e) Report. On or before December 1, 2025, the Working Group shall 1
103	103	submit a written report to the House and Senate Committees on Education with 2
104	104	its findings and any recommendations for legislative action. 3
105	105	(f) Meetings. 4
106	106	(1) The Secretary of Education shall call the first meeting of the 5
107	107	Working Group to occur on or before September 1, 2025. 6
108	108	(2) The Working Group shall select a chair from among its members at 7
109	109	the first meeting. 8
110	110	(3) A majority of the membership shall constitute a quorum. 9
111	111	(4) The Working Group shall cease to exist on December 31, 2025. 10
112	112	(g) Compensation and reimbursement. Members of the Working Group 11
113	113	who are not employees of the State of Vermont and who are not otherwise 12
114	114	compensated or reimbursed for their attendance shall be entitled to per diem 13
115	115	compensation and reimbursement of expenses pursuant to 32 V.S.A. § 1010 14
116	116	for not more than six meetings. These payments shall be made from monies 15
117	117	appropriated to the Agency of Education. 16
118	118	Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE 17
119	119	This act shall take effect on July 1, 2025. 18