---
title: HB 314. Professions and businesses; athletic trainers; revise and update definitions
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb314
cite_as: HB 314, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb314
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb314.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb314/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70025
date: 2025-03-06
status: engrossed
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-12
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb313.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb315.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 492
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb314.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 314
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-03-04
last_action: Senate Read and Referred
sponsors:
  - John LaHood
  - Alan Powell
  - Rick Jasperse
  - Charles Cannon
  - Dexter Sharper
text_version: Comm Sub
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB314/2025
upstream_id: 1960984
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - athletic trainers
  - professional licensing
  - sports medicine
  - health care regulation
---

# HB 314. Professions and businesses; athletic trainers; revise and update definitions

## Text

House Bill 314 (COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE)
By: Representatives LaHood of the 175th, Powell of the 33rd, Jasperse of the 11th, Cannon of
the 172nd, and Sharper of the 177th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 5 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
athletic trainers, so as to revise and update definitions; to eliminate obsolete provisions; to
require athletic training students to be under the direct supervision of a physician or licensed
athletic trainer; to revise and update certification requirements; to provide for related matters;
to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 5 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to athletic trainers,
is amended by revising Code Section 43-5-1, relating to definitions, as follows:
"43-5-1.
As used in this chapter, the term:
(1) 'Athletic injury' means any <del>injury</del> <ins>condition</ins> sustained by a person as a result of such
person's participation in <del>exercises, sports, games, or recreational activities, or any
</del> activities requiring physical strength, agility, flexibility, range of motion, speed, or
stamina without respect to where or how the <del>injury</del> <ins>condition</ins> occurs. Nothing in this
paragraph shall be construed to expand the scope of practice of an athletic trainer beyond
the determination of the advising and consenting physician as provided for in
paragraph (2) of this Code section.
(2) 'Athletic trainer' means a person with specific qualifications, as set forth in Code
Sections 43-5-7 and 43-5-8 who, upon the advice and consent of a physician, carries out
the practice of prevention, recognition, evaluation, management, disposition, treatment,
or rehabilitation of athletic injuries; and, in carrying out these functions, the athletic
trainer is authorized to use physical modalities, such as heat, light, sound, cold,
electricity, or mechanical devices related to prevention, recognition, evaluation,
management, disposition, rehabilitation, and treatment. <del>Nothing in this Code section
shall be construed to require licensure of elementary or secondary school teachers,
coaches, or authorized volunteers who do not hold themselves out to the public as athletic
trainers.
</del> (3) 'Board' means the Georgia Board of Athletic Trainers."
SECTION 2.
Said chapter is further amended by revising Code Section 43-5-6, relating to general powers
and duties of the Georgia Board for Athletic Trainers, as follows:
"43-5-6.
(a) The board is authorized to promulgate and adopt rules and regulations consistent with
this chapter which are necessary for the performance of its duties.
(b) The board shall prescribe application forms for license applications.
(c) The board shall establish guidelines for athletic trainers in the state and <del>prepare and
conduct an</del> <ins>approve a certification</ins> examination for applicants for a license.
(d) The board shall adopt an official seal and the form of a license certificate of suitable
design."
SECTION 3.
Said chapter is further amended by revising Code Section 43-5-7, relating to license
requirement for persons engaged as athletic trainers, as follows:
"43-5-7.
No person shall hold himself or herself out as an athletic trainer or perform the services of
an athletic trainer, as defined in this chapter, without first obtaining a license under this
chapter. <ins>Nothing;</ins> <del>provided, however, that nothing</del> in this chapter shall be construed to
prevent any person <ins>enrolled in an accredited athletic training educational program
recognized by the board</ins> from serving as <del>a student-trainer, assistant-trainer, or any similar
position</del> <ins>an athletic training student</ins> if such service is <del>not primarily for compensation
</del> <ins>following the accredited program's standards for clinical education</ins> and is carried out under
the <ins>direct</ins> supervision of a physician or a licensed athletic trainer. <ins>As used in this Code
section, the term 'direct supervision' means that the supervising athletic trainer or physician
is physically present in the facility where athletic training students assisting with athletic
training services are located and is immediately available to assist the person being
supervised."
</ins> SECTION 4.
Said chapter is further amended by revising Code Section 43-5-8, relating to qualifications
of applicants and reciprocity, as follows:
"43-5-8.
(a) An applicant for an athletic trainer's license <del>must have met the athletic training
curriculum requirements of a college or university approved</del> <ins>shall be a graduate of an
accredited educational program that prepares athletic trainers recognized</ins> by the board <del>and
give proof of graduation</del> <ins>or shall submit, in a manner prescribed by the board, equivalent
educational credentials as approved by the board.
</ins>
(b) The board shall be authorized to grant a license, without examination, to any qualified
athletic trainer holding a license in another state if such other state recognizes licensees of
this state in the same manner.
(c) The board may grant a license without examination to any qualified applicant who
holds a certification from the <del>National Athletic Trainers Board of Certification</del> <ins>Board of
Certification for the Athletic Trainer or its successor.
</ins> <del>(d) Any person who was issued a license prior to July 1, 2004, shall remain qualified for
licensure, notwithstanding the requirement for proof of graduation in subsection (a) of this
Code section, so long as the license remains current."
</del> SECTION 5.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.

## Summaries written by Georgia Commons

The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.

House Bill 314 would update Georgia's athletic trainer licensing law, tightening supervision rules for athletic training students and revising definitions and education requirements used by the Georgia Board of Athletic Trainers.

### Plain-language summary

Georgia's athletic trainer licensing law (O.C.G.A. Chapter 5 of Title 43) sets out who can call themselves an athletic trainer, what the job covers, and how the Georgia Board of Athletic Trainers oversees the profession. This bill updates several parts of that law.
It revises the definitions of 'athletic injury' and 'athletic trainer,' removing outdated wording while keeping the core rule that trainers act on the advice and consent of a physician. It also updates the board's powers, including how it prepares and approves the certification exam. A new provision requires students in athletic training programs, now called 'athletic training students,' to work under the 'direct supervision' of a physician or licensed athletic trainer, meaning that supervisor must be physically present and immediately available. Finally, it updates the education and certification requirements applicants must meet to become licensed, including graduating from an accredited program or holding certification from the Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer.

### What it does

- Revises the legal definitions of 'athletic injury' and 'athletic trainer' in Georgia's athletic trainer law (O.C.G.A. § 43-5-1), removing outdated language.
- Updates the Georgia Board of Athletic Trainers' duties, including how it prepares and approves the certification exam for license applicants (O.C.G.A. § 43-5-6).
- Requires students working as athletic training students to be under the 'direct supervision' of a physician or licensed athletic trainer, meaning the supervisor is physically present and immediately available (O.C.G.A. § 43-5-7).
- Updates the education requirements for licensure, requiring applicants to graduate from an accredited athletic training program or submit equivalent credentials approved by the board (O.C.G.A. § 43-5-8).
- Preserves the board's ability to license out-of-state athletic trainers without examination if their home state offers the same reciprocity to Georgia licensees.
- Allows the board to license applicants who hold certification from the Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer without requiring a separate exam.

### Who it affects

Licensed athletic trainers in Georgia, students enrolled in athletic training educational programs, the Georgia Board of Athletic Trainers, physicians who supervise trainers and students, and colleges or universities running accredited athletic training programs.

### Why it matters

The bill changes who can supervise athletic training students and how, requiring a physician or licensed trainer to be physically present and immediately available, which could affect how schools and clinics structure student training. It also updates licensing standards that determine who can legally work as an athletic trainer in Georgia.

### Key provisions

- Section 1 rewrites O.C.G.A. § 43-5-1 to update the definitions of 'athletic injury' and 'athletic trainer' and clarifies that the law does not require licensure for teachers, coaches, or volunteers who don't call themselves athletic trainers.
- Section 2 revises O.C.G.A. § 43-5-6 so the board 'approves' rather than solely 'conducts' the certification exam and keeps its other rulemaking and licensing duties.
- Section 3 rewrites O.C.G.A. § 43-5-7, renaming student roles as 'athletic training students' and requiring their work be under the 'direct supervision' of a physician or licensed athletic trainer, defined as physically present and immediately available.
- Section 4 revises O.C.G.A. § 43-5-8, requiring license applicants to graduate from an accredited athletic training program or submit equivalent credentials, while preserving reciprocity for out-of-state trainers and a grandfather clause for those licensed before July 1, 2004.
- Section 5 repeals any conflicting laws.

## Status

- Status: Engrossed (2025-03-04)
- Last action: Senate Read and Referred (2025-03-06)
- Sponsors: John LaHood, Alan Powell, Rick Jasperse, Charles Cannon, Dexter Sharper
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70025

> The history, votes, and amendments (492 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb314.md?full=1