Virginia HB 574: Athletic Trainer Compact; authorizes Virginia to become a signatory to Compact.

Bill Text

2026 SESSION

INTRODUCED

26103202D

HOUSE BILL NO. 574

Offered January 14, 2026

Prefiled January 13, 2026

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 54.1-2957.4:1, relating to Athletic Trainer Compact.

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Patron—Glass

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Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services

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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia: 

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 54.1-2957.4:1 as follows: 

§ 54.1-2957.4:1. Athletic Trainer Compact.

The General Assembly hereby enacts, and the Commonwealth of Virginia hereby enters into, the Athletic Trainer Compact with any and all states legally joining therein according to its terms, in the form substantially as follows:

Section 1. Title and purpose.

This statute shall be known and cited as the Athletic Trainer Compact. The purposes of this Compact are to expand mobility of athletic training practice and improve public access to services by providing qualified licensed athletic trainers the ability to practice in other member states. This Compact preserves the regulatory authority of states to protect public health and safety through the current system of state licensure. This Compact is designed to achieve the following objectives:

1. Increase public access to athletic training and enhance continuity of care by providing for the mutual recognition of other licenses issued by member states;

2. Provide an additional streamlined opportunity for interstate practice by licensed athletic trainers who meet compact uniform requirements;

3. Promote mobility and workforce development by eliminating the necessity for licenses in multiple states by providing for the mutual recognition of other licenses issued by member states;

4. Reduce administrative burdens on licensed athletic trainers and member states;

5. Enhance the states' ability to protect the public's health and safety;

6. Encourage the cooperation of member states in regulating interstate practice of licensed athletic trainers;

7. Support relocating active military members and their spouses;

8. Enhance the exchange of licensure, investigative, and disciplinary information among member states;

9. Allow for the use of telehealth to facilitate increased access to athletic training services;

10. Support the uniformity of licensed athletic trainer licensure requirements throughout the states;

11. Affirm the authority of all member states to hold a licensed athletic trainer accountable for abiding by the scope of practice in the state in which the patient is located at the time of care; and

12. Require adherence to the model compact language in order to promote uniformity and ensure that all member states have accepted and are mutually obligated to the same terms.

Section 2. Definitions.

As used in this Compact, unless the context requires otherwise, the following definitions shall apply:

"Active military member" means any individual with full-time duty status in the active armed forces of the United States, including members of the National Guard and Reserve.

"Adverse action" means any administrative, civil, equitable or criminal action permitted by a state's laws which is imposed by a licensing authority or other authority against a licensee, including actions against an individual's license or compact privilege such as revocation, suspension, probation, monitoring of the licensee, limitation on the licensee's practice, or any other encumbrance on licensure affecting a licensee's authorization to practice.

"Alternative program" means a non-disciplinary monitoring or practice remediation process applicable to an athletic trainer approved by a state licensing authority of a member state in which the athletic trainer is licensed. This includes, but is not limited to, programs to which licensees with substance use, addiction, or mental health conditions are referred in lieu of adverse action.

"Athletic Trainer Compact Commission" or "Compact Commission" means the government agency whose membership consists of all states that have enacted this compact, as described herein and which shall operate as an instrumentality of the member states to administer and implement the Compact according to its terms.

"Athletic training" means the prevention, examination, assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation of emergent, acute, or chronic injuries and medical conditions as defined by applicable member state laws and regulations.

"BOC" means the Board of Certification, Inc. or any successor organization thereto.

"CAATE" means the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education or any successor organization thereto.

"Charter member state" means any member state which enacted and made effective this compact by law before the compact effective date specified herein.

"Commissioner" means the individual appointed by a member state to serve as the member of the Compact Commission for that member state.

"Compact privilege" means the legal aut