Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the HB147 Naturopathy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
House committee advances bill to license naturopathic prescribers, limits medications
Summary
The House Health and Social Services Committee voted HB 147 out of committee with recommendations. Sponsor Rep. Mike Prox said the bill would create a licensing pathway and a temporary prescribing endorsement for licensed naturopaths who pass department-approved pharmacology exams, while prohibiting prescribing of controlled substances, chemotherapeutics and certain other medications.
The House Health and Social Services Committee on Jan. 22 voted House Bill 147 out of committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes, advancing a proposal to create a licensure path and limited prescribing endorsement for licensed naturopathic doctors in Alaska.
Representative Mike Prox, the sponsor, told the committee the bill "establish[es] a licensing procedure that meets the education and training" of naturopaths and would allow a licensed Alaska naturopath who passes department‑approved pharmacology exams to apply for a temporary endorsement to prescribe medications under a collaborative agreement with an MD. Prox said the temporary endorsement is intended to be followed by at least one year in a collaborative agreement, after which the collaborating physician may recommend expanded prescriptive authority.
The bill sets continuing education and training requirements. Prox said HB 147 would require 60 hours of continuing education, including 20 hours in pharmacology, and that licensed naturopaths would be barred from prescribing controlled substances, poisons, chemotherapeutic drugs, antipsychotics, or using ionizing radiation or radioactive substances.
Clyde Jensen of Rocky Vista University provided testimony cited by the sponsor, saying the university provides comparable training for allopathic and naturopathic physicians: "they give virtually the same training for allopathic physicians or naturopathic physicians," Prox reported, citing Jensen's remarks. Supporters told the committee that about 15 states permit licensed naturopaths to prescribe and that licensing there has not produced the disciplinary patterns opponents feared.
Committee members who spoke in favor — including Representatives Gray and Schwanke — framed the bill as an access measure. Representative Gray, a cosponsor, told the committee the measure is "about expanding access" and argued that allowing naturopaths to practice to the scope of their training could help address Alaska's primary‑care shortages.
Representative Gray moved the bill out of committee "with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes." Chair Representative Mina asked for objections; none were raised and she announced the measure "passes from committee." Committee staff were directed to prepare and file the committee report.
What’s next: HB 147 will be reported out of the House Health and Social Services Committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes for further floor or committee scheduling. The committee did not adopt amendments during this meeting.
Sources: Sponsor comments and committee record, Jan. 22, 2026 House Health and Social Services Committee hearing.
