Wednesday, February 29th marked a critical deadline for proposed legislation in the State of Florida. Two bills – House Bill 1257 and Senate Bill 984 – contained potential legislation that would require all personal trainers in Florida to obtain state licensure. However, at this time neither bill will move forward because no committee hearing could be scheduled before the February 29th deadline. The International Health, Racquet, and Sports Club Association (IHRSA) worked with lobbyists in Tallahassee, as well as a number of industry leaders, including the National Council on Strength and Fitness (NCSF), to protect Florida personal trainers from unnecessary and burdensome state licensure requirements. If passed, the proposed bills would have required a trainer to:

• Obtain certification from a program or organization that is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) or the Distance Education Training Council (DETC)
• Have a current certification in CPR and defibrillator (AED) use
• Pass a state-administered exam
• Pay all related application, exam, licensure, and renewal fees
• Renew the license biennially
• Fulfill yet-to-be determined continuing education requirements

Many of these proposed requirements would create redundancy with the requirements personal trainers already comply with for their NCCA-accredited certifications, one of which is the NCSF-CPT. In addition, the possibility of passing legislation that would require something that is documented as “not yet determined” (the CEU requirement in the bill) presents a potentially significant issue. While the NCSF takes a neutral stance with regard to state licensure and is neither for nor against legislation, the organization will continue to work with industry professions and experts for the betterment and advancement of the personal trainer industry.