Honorable Members of the Health and Human Services Committee, I have serious concerns about this bill for three key reasons: First, the Board of Medicine already reviewed and rejected this proposal. The Board declined to amend its regulations to allow athletic trainers to perform dry needling. HB 841 does not resolve the issues identified by the Board; instead, it overrides that decision through statute and, through its amendment, bypasses the normal public regulatory process. Second, the bill fails to address critical training disparities that directly affect patient and athlete safety. HB 841 authorizes an invasive procedure without defining “dry needling” in statute and without establishing a clear, evidence-based standard for education, clinical competency, or supervised training. There is no established consensus on what constitutes adequate preparation to safely perform this procedure. Third, the bill provides no meaningful patient protections or accountability mechanisms. HB 841 does not require clean needle technique, does not establish enforceable safety standards, and does not clearly define practitioner accountability in the event of patient harm. For these reasons, I respectfully ask that you oppose HB 841. Thank you for your time and for your commitment to protecting the health and safety of Virginians.

Honorable Members of the Health and Human Services Committee, I have serious concerns about this bill for three key reasons: First, the Board of Medicine already reviewed and rejected this proposal. The Board declined to amend its regulations to allow athletic trainers to perform dry needling. HB 841 does not resolve the issues identified by the Board; instead, it overrides that decision through statute and, through its amendment, bypasses the normal public regulatory process. Second, the bill fails to address critical training disparities that directly affect patient and athlete safety. HB 841 authorizes an invasive procedure without defining “dry needling” in statute and without establishing a clear, evidence-based standard for education, clinical competency, or supervised training. There is no established consensus on what constitutes adequate preparation to safely perform this procedure. Third, the bill provides no meaningful patient protections or accountability mechanisms. HB 841 does not require clean needle technique, does not establish enforceable safety standards, and does not clearly define practitioner accountability in the event of patient harm. For these reasons, I respectfully ask that you oppose HB 841. Thank you for your time and for your commitment to protecting the health and safety of Virginians.

I have major support for the temperature regulation. I have been to several facilities during summer months in which the heat was so stifling that it melted the glue holding things together in my cell. With extreme heat there is no real remedy. There aren’t but so many articles of clothing you can take off, ice in most facilities is limited, and the cold water from the cell sink is tepid at best.