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House approves chiropractic-practice amendments after debate over acupuncture training
Summary
The House amended and passed Senate Bill 149 to align chiropractic practice standards with medical practice acts and addressed whether chiropractors may perform acupuncture; the Chamber adopted a defining amendment and approved the bill 53–10.
Representative Holliday proposed a textual floor amendment to Senate Bill 149 that inserts the word "means" into a definition to clarify scope. Debate focused on whether chiropractors should be permitted to perform acupuncture without meeting the full training and licensing requirements in the Acupuncture Licensing Act (Title 58, Chapter 72).
Representative Holliday and supporters argued the amendment simply clarifies definitions and aligns chiropractic practice standards with other medical practice acts. Opponents pointed to statutory training differences: the House discussion cited the Acupuncture Licensing Act’s multi-year training and national certification requirements, and members warned of risks if practitioners lacked equivalent training.
A motion to delete acupuncture from the bill was debated at length. Members who opposed deletion emphasized patient choice and departmental oversight of competency; others expressed concern about permitting practice without the extended training acupuncturists receive. After voting on a series of amendments and a division call, the House adopted the amendments and passed SB149 with a recorded vote of 53 yes and 10 no. The measure will be returned to the Senate for consideration of the House amendments.
What’s next: SB149, as amended, will be sent back to the Senate for concurrence or a possible conference committee; the House recorded its vote and entered the Speaker’s signature for enrollment.
