On May 13, 1993, Act No. 93-617 was signed into law, establishing the “Alabama Athletic Trainers Licensure Act.” This law provided for the establishment and composition of the Alabama Board of Athletic Trainers. As set forth by law, the Alabama Board of Athletic Trainers is composed of ten members: Six members are licensed athletic trainers elected and appointed by Alabama Athletic Trainers Association (ALATA), one of whom is also a licensed physical therapist; three are physicians who are appointed by the Medical Association of the State of Alabama; and one is the President of ALATA, who serves ex officio.
The Board was created for the purpose of safeguarding the public from the incompetent, unprofessional, and unlawful practice of athletic training. The Board licenses and regulates athletic trainers in Alabama and operates under the authority of the Code of Alabama 1975, Section 34-40-1 through 34-40-17. It is the Board’s responsibility to establish standards for licensure in the practice of athletic training in the State of Alabama, thus serving the safety, health, and welfare of the public as well as the integrity of the profession. Those standards established by the Board are set forth in the license requirements, license renewal requirements, and the disciplinary procedures set by law for athletic trainers in the State of Alabama.