West Virginia 2025 Regular Session Status: In Committee Bipartisan · 5 R · 1 D cosponsors

SB 755 — Establishing WV Secondary School Athletic Trainer and Career Technical Education Program Act

Last action — To Finance

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House of Delegates
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2025 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there are no live odds of enactment. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

94 added · 77 removed

Plain-language change summary

The updated version of Bill SB 755 introduces significant changes, including a new focus on placing licensed athletic trainers in public secondary schools. It establishes a five-year program aimed at ensuring these trainers are either staff or contracted employees, which is crucial for the safety and health of student-athletes. The bill also expands career and technical education programs related to sports medicine, helping students gain the necessary skills for future healthcare education. These adjustments are important because they enhance student safety and prepare them for careers in athletic training and health care.

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WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION Introduced Senate Bill 755 By Senators Fuller, Deeds, Hamilton, and Morris [Introduced March 14, 2025;
WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 755 By Senators Fuller, Deeds, Hamilton, Morris, and Woelfel [Reported March 24, 2025, from the Committee on Education] CS for SB 755 A BILL to amend of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new article, designated §18-14-1, §18-14-2, §18-14-3, §18-14-4, §18-14-5, §18-14-6, and §18-14-7, relating to the creation of the West Virginia Public Secondary School Athletic Trainer and Career Technical Education Program Act;
referred to the Committee on Education;
providing for findings, purpose, and intent;
and then to the Committee on Finance] Intr SB 755 2025R3700A A BILL to amend of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new article, designated §30-20B-1, §30-20B-2, §30-20B-3, §30-20B-4, §30-20B-5, §30-20B-6, and §30-20B-7, relating to the creation of the West Virginia Secondary School Athletic Trainer and Career Technical Education Program Act;
providing for establishment of the five-year program for the placement of licensed athletic trainers in all public secondary schools by having the athletic trainer on staff or contracted through the county board;
providing for a short title;
requiring annual appropriation to fund the program;
providing for findings and a purpose;
providing for expansion of the current career and technical education sports medicine programs;
providing for establishment of the five-year program;
requiring alignment with accreditation and certification standards necessary for students to continue their education in athletic training or related health care fields at institutions of higher education;
providing for career and technical education programs;
requiring West Virginia Board of Education rule to implement;
ensuring compliance with West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission regulations;
requiring program development and maintenance in compliance with West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission rules;
providing for workforce recruitment and financial incentives;
requiring commission to provide certain guidance;
and providing for a timeline and effective date.
allowing state to use the West Virginia Underwood-Smith Loan Repayment Program to provide student loan payments to certain individuals;
and providing for a timeline of implementation.
ARTICLE 20B.
ARTICLE 14.
WEST VIRGINIA SECONDARY SCHOOL ATHLETIC TRAINER AND CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM ACT.
WEST VIRGINIA PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL ATHLETIC TRAINER AND CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM ACT.
§30-20B-1.
§18-14-1.
This article shall be known and cited as the "West Virginia Secondary School Athletic Trainer and Career Technical Education Program Act." §30-20B-2.
This article shall be known and cited as the "West Virginia Public Secondary School Athletic Trainer and Career Technical Education Program Act." §18-14-2.
(a) The Legislature finds that access to licensed athletic trainers in secondary schools is essential to ensuring the safety, health, and well-being of student-athletes.
(a) The Legislature finds that access to licensed athletic trainers in public secondary schools is essential to ensuring the safety, health, and well-being of student-athletes.
(b) The purpose of this article is to establish a five-year program to place licensed athletic trainers in all secondary high schools in West Virginia and to create career and technical education (CTE) programs for athletic training in each high school through the Board of Education.
1 CS for SB 755 (b) The purpose of this article is to establish a five-year program to place licensed athletic trainers in all public secondary schools in West Virginia by having the athletic trainer on staff or contracted through the county board;
(c) This article will be in full compliance with the rules and regulations of the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission (WVSSAC).
and to ensure that career and technical education (CTE) programs for athletic training is available to all public high school students in the state.
(d) The article is also intended to serve as a Health and Safety initiative to ensure student- athletes at the secondary level receive appropriate medical attention, injury prevention resources.
(c) The article is also intended to serve as a health and safety initiative to ensure student- athletes at the public secondary level receive appropriate medical attention, injury prevention resources, and emergency care when needed.
and emergency care when needed.
§18-14-3.
Intr SB 755 2025R3700A §30-20B-3.
(a) The West Virginia Board of Education, in collaboration with the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, shall implement a five-year program for the placement of licensed athletic trainers in all secondary high schools.
(a) The West Virginia Board of Education, in collaboration with the West Virginia Board of Physical Therapy, shall implement a five-year program for the placement of licensed athletic trainers in all public secondary schools by having the athletic trainer on staff or contracted through the county board.
(b) The program shall be fully implemented by July 1, 2030, at which time all secondary schools must have a licensed athletic trainer on staff.
(b) The program shall be fully implemented by July 1, 2031, at which time all public secondary schools shall have a licensed athletic trainer on staff or contracted through the county board.
(c) Funding for the program shall be appropriated annually by the Legislature to support the recruitment, hiring, and retention of athletic trainers.
(c) Funding for the program shall be appropriated annually to the West Virginia Board of Education to support the expansion of career and technical sports medicine programs throughout the state and the recruitment, hiring or contracting with, and retention of athletic trainers, including distributions to the county boards of education for their expenses in hiring or contracting with and retaining a licensed athletic trainer for every public secondary school.
§30-20B-4.
If appropriations for this purpose are insufficient, the state board shall request a supplemental appropriation in a sufficient amount to support the recruitment, hiring or contracting with, and retention of athletic trainers pursuant to this section.
§18-14-4.
(a) The West Virginia Board of Education has established career and technical education (CTE) programs for athletic training.
(a) There are currently nine career and technical education sports medicine programs throughout the state.
This program can serve each high school to create a pipeline for students interested in pursuing careers in sports medicine and athletic training.
The West Virginia Board of Education shall expand these programs to 2 CS for SB 755 ensure that all public high school students have access to a sports medicine program.
(b) School districts that already have a licensed athletic trainer for all sports shall have the option to add the career and technical education program.
This expansion shall be done in the most cost-efficient manner feasible through methods such as:
(c) These programs shall align with accreditation and certification standards necessary for students to continue their education in athletic training or related health care fields at institutions of higher education in West Virginia.
(1) Transporting students from public high schools without a sports medicine program to a public high school or multicounty career and technical education center that does have a sports medicine program;
(d) The rules and regulations governing career and technical education programs shall be developed and maintained by the West Virginia Department of Education to ensure consistency and adherence to state educational standards.
(2) Each instructor traveling to multiple public high schools;
§30-20B-5.
or (3) Any other efficient method of giving public high school students access to a sports medicine program pursuant to this subsection.
(b) These programs shall align with accreditation and certification standards necessary for students to continue their education in athletic training or related health care fields at institutions of higher education in West Virginia.
(c) The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules pursuant to §29A-3B-1 et seq.
to implement this section.
§18-14-5.
(a) The program shall be developed and maintained in accordance with all rules and regulations established by the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission.
(a) The program shall be developed and maintained in accordance with the rules of the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission.
(b) The WVSSAC shall provide guidance and oversight to ensure the successful implementation of athletic trainer placements and adherence to best practices in student-athlete health and safety.
(b) The West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission shall provide guidance in facilitating the successful implementation of athletic trainer placements and adherence to best practices in student-athlete health and safety.
Intr SB 755 2025R3700A §30-20B-6.
§18-14-6.
(a) To address workforce shortages, the state shall utilize the West Virginia financial incentives for health care professionals' program to provide student loan repayment for individuals who obtain a degree in athletic training from a West Virginia Higher Education Institution and commit to working as a licensed athletic trainer in a secondary school for a minimum of two years.
(a) To address workforce shortages, the state may use the West Virginia Underwood- Smith Loan Repayment Program to provide student loan repayments for individuals who commit to working as a licensed athletic trainer in a public secondary school in this state:
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(b) The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, in coordination with the Board of Education, shall develop criteria for loan repayment eligibility, application, and distribution of funds.
Provided, That to be eligible for the loan repayments pursuant to this section, the individual shall work in a dual capacity as both a teacher and an athletic trainer.
§30-20B-7.
(b) The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, in coordination with the state 3 CS for SB 755 board, shall develop criteria for loan repayment eligibility, application, and distribution of funds.
§18-14-7.
(a) The five-year program shall commence on July 1, 2025, with a phased approach to ensure full implementation by July 1, 2030.
(a) The five-year program shall commence on July 1, 2026, with a phased approach to ensure full implementation by July 1, 2031.
(b) By July 1, 2030, all secondary schools in the state shall be required to employ a licensed athletic trainer.
(b) By July 1, 2031, all public secondary schools in the state shall be required to employ a licensed athletic trainer or contract with a licensed athletic trainer through the county board.
(c) This article shall take effect immediately upon passage.
NOTE:
The purpose of this bill is to create the West Virginia Secondary School Athletic Trainer and Career Technical Education Program Act.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.
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Action History

  1. To Finance

  2. Committee substitute reported, but first to Finance

  3. To Education

  4. Introduced in Senate

  5. To Education then Finance

  6. Filed for introduction

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 5 co-sponsors · 146 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (5)

Not signed on (146)

146 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

education
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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 755?
SB 755 is sponsored by Scott Fuller (Republican), Vince Deeds (Republican), Robbie Morris (Republican), Mike Woelfel (Democrat), Brian Helton (Republican), and Bill Hamilton (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 755?
This bill died with 2025 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track SB 755?
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