§34-40-3. Alabama Board of Athletic Trainers - Appointment of members; annual meeting; terms; duties.

(a) The Alabama Board of Athletic Trainers shall be composed of nine members who shall serve four-year terms. Members may not serve more than three consecutive four-year terms. Three members shall be Black, one of whom shall be a physician member. The composition of the board shall be as follows:

(1) Six members appointed by the Alabama Athletic Trainers Association in accordance with subsection (b), one of whom shall be an athletic trainer who is a licensed physical therapist.

(2) Three physicians licensed to practice medicine actively engaged in the treatment of athletes and athletic injuries appointed by the Medical Association of the State of Alabama.

(3) The President of the Alabama Athletic Trainers Association who shall serve as an ex officio member of the board and whose term of office shall be yearly to coincide with his or her term as President of the Alabama Athletic Trainers Association.

(b) The six athletic trainers shall be appointed by the Alabama Athletic Trainers Association. The association shall conduct an annual meeting at which all athletic trainers holding a current license as identified under this chapter shall have the right to attend, nominate, and vote. The association shall regulate and prescribe the date, hour, and place of the meeting, the method of nomination, and the manner of voting. At least 30 days prior to the meeting, the board shall mail notices to each current licensee at the address shown on the current registration notifying of the exact date, hour, and place of the meeting, the purpose of the meeting, and of the right to attend and vote. To qualify as a board member pursuant to this subsection, a person shall be a citizen of the United States and this state and have acted as an athletic trainer for three years within this state immediately preceding appointment.

(c) In making the initial appointments, the Alabama Athletic Trainers Association shall appoint one athletic trainer whose term will expire in 1994, two athletic trainers whose terms will expire in 1995, and one athletic trainer whose term will expire in 1996, and two athletic trainers whose terms will expire in 1997. The Medical Association of the State of Alabama shall appoint one physician whose term will expire in 1994, one physician whose term will expire in 1995, and one physician whose term will expire in 1996. All appointments expire on December 31 of the year specified.

(d) Each appointee to the board shall qualify by taking an oath of office within 15 days from the date of the appointment. In the event of death, resignation, or removal of any member, except for physician members, the vacancy of the unexpired term shall be filled by the board.

(e) The board shall elect a chair, a vice-chair, and secretary from its members for a term of one year and may appoint any committees and formulate any rules it considers necessary to carry out its duties pursuant to this chapter. The board shall meet at least twice each year. Additional meetings may be held on the call of the chair or at the written request of any two members of the board. The secretary shall keep a record of the proceedings of the board. The board may promulgate and adopt rules and regulations consistent with this chapter which are necessary for the performance of its duties. The board may employ an executive secretary and any officers and employees as may be necessary to carry out the duties of the board. The State Board of Medical Examiners and the Alabama Board of Athletic Trainers shall jointly approve any rule, regulation, or policy that interprets, explains, or enumerates the permissible acts, functions, or services rendered by an athletic trainer or apprentice athletic trainer as those acts, functions, and services are defined in Section 34-40-2. Any rule, regulation, or policy adopted in violation of this requirement is invalid. The board shall prescribe forms for license applications, license certificate, license renewal, verification of license, continuing education verification, and any forms for information required from licensees to carry out the duties of the board. The board shall adopt an official seal and a license certificate of suitable design.

(f) Members of the board shall receive fifty dollars ($50) for every day actually spent in the performance of their duties and in addition thereto shall be reimbursed according to the state travel policy for other expenses in the same amounts and under the same conditions as state employees are reimbursed.

(g) It shall be the duty of the board to pass upon the qualifications of applicants for licensure as an athletic trainer, and to issue licenses and annual renewals to athletic trainers. The board shall be responsible for fixing fees for such applications, licenses, renewals, verification of licensure, replacement of licenses, name changes on licensees, publication fees, or other administration fees deemed necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter.

(Acts 1993, No. 93-617, p. 1013, §3; Acts 1997, No. 97-597, p. 1051, §1; Act 2011-171, p. 332, §3.)