By Kevin Mayer (May 26, 2017, 12:16 PM EDT) -- Incredibly (and as noted by the California Legislature in its recently introduced Assembly Bill 1510), California is the only state in the union that does not regulate athletic trainers through appropriate (or any) licensure requirements. This astonishing state of affairs exists by virtue of California's historical irresponsibility in protecting the health and welfare of athletes at every level, and exposing schools, leagues, teams and related organizations to potential civil liability for negligence, or worse. This circumstance is due largely to political expedience and a well-orchestrated lobbying campaign by other professions (e.g., chiropractors and physical therapists) intent on protecting their own positions, often without the necessary education, training and experience in areas requiring licensed athletic trainers....