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Committee approves bill to expand and rename acupuncture board to regulate naturopathic medicine
Summary
SB117 would merge naturopathic physician regulation into the existing acupuncture board to create the Arkansas State Board of Natural Medicine; sponsors said the bill clarifies scope and excludes high-velocity spinal manipulations. The committee passed the bill as amended despite opposition from the Arkansas Medical Society.
Sponsor described SB117 as a bill to add naturopathic physicians to an existing regulatory board and to clarify scope and definitions for natural-medicine modalities. The measure would rename the acupuncture board to the Arkansas State Board of Natural Medicine and add definitions such as "electromagnetism" and "naturopathic physical medicine," while prohibiting grade-5 spinal manipulations from the naturopathic scope.
Supporters said the change avoids creating an additional board and provides a single regulatory home for related professions. The sponsor said the bill removes the word "medications" from route-of-administration language to clarify that the statute covers therapeutic natural substances rather than pharmaceuticals.
The Arkansas Medical Society registered opposition and raised concerns about title protection and the ability to interpret laboratory tests for diagnostic purposes. Scott Smith with the medical society said the group remained opposed and pointed to potential public confusion around titles such as "NMD" and questions about diagnostic authority.
Dr. Jahaz Shine, a licensed naturopathic physician, testified in favor and described training, clinical experience and the potential for residency-type programs to bridge practice with mainstream medical care.
The sponsor moved to pass SB117 as amended to add a House sponsor and to implement the board changes; the committee approved the bill as amended by voice vote.
