Appropriates funds to establish 16.5 additional permanent athletic health care trainer positions in the public schools.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that additional athletic health care trainers are necessary to provide quality care for student athletes. However, an increase in the number of teams and participants in multiple athletic venues has shifted the focus of care from implementing, conditioning, injury prevention, and rehabilitative programs to injury management. Additional qualified athletic health care trainers are necessary to adequately address this increased demand, and these positions should be made permanent and classified within the appropriate collective bargaining unit.

The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to establish and fill 16.5 permanent FTE athletic health care trainer positions in the public schools that would be assigned, and filled upon criteria established, by the department of education.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $          , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, for 16.5 permanent FTE athletic health care trainer positions in public schools.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2006.