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Committee approves updates to chiropractic regulation including new misconduct categories and fingerprinting requirement
Summary
House Bill 2846 would broaden misconduct standards for Arizona chiropractic practitioners and assistants, align certain licensure requirements with national exam standards, allow fingerprint clearance cards for applicants beginning in 2026, and expand the board's authority on fees and contracting. Committee members praised stakeholder engagement
The House Science and Technology Committee returned House Bill 2846 with a due-pass recommendation after hearing from the bill sponsor and the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners’ executive director on a set of regulatory updates intended to strengthen public protections.
House Bill 2846 revises the state’s chiropractic regulation by expanding the categories of misconduct that can lead to discipline to include negligent care, harassment, fraud, improper billing and interference with investigations. The bill extends these disciplinary standards to chiropractic assistants and business entities, updates licensure to align with National Board of Chiropractic Examiners requirements and mandates fingerprint clearance cards for applicants beginning in 2026. The proposal also shifts certain board procedures, allowing a quorum to issue licenses, authorizing fee-setting by rulemaking, and permitting the board to contract for services needed to enforce regulation.
Sponsor testimony emphasized that the bill resulted from a multi-year stakeholder process intended to improve public protection and accountability. "This legislation addresses the need for the board to be appropriately empowered in their important work of protecting the public's health and safety," the sponsor said.
Alyssa Vanderveen, executive director of the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners, testified in support and said the board had reviewed statutes and rules and identified weak points that the bill would correct. Vanderveen also highlighted chiropractic’s role in non-opioid pain care pathways.
Committee members thanked the sponsor and board staff for extensive stakeholder work. The roll-call vote returned HB 2846 with a due-pass recommendation, 9 ayes, 0 nays.
If enacted, the changes would give the board additional tools for oversight of practitioners and related business entities and impose fingerprinting requirements for new applicants; the bill record lists the board and sponsor as principal stakeholders in drafting the updates.
