Board of Chiropractic Examiners approves draft sunset review, delegates final sign‑off to chair and vice chair

The California Board of Chiropractic Examiners voted unanimously on Dec. 9, 2025, to approve a draft sunset review report and to delegate authority to the board’s chair and vice chair to finalize and submit the report to the Legislature.

Staff presenter Miss Walker summarized the draft as reflecting “all of the board’s prior discussions” and identified several new issues to be included in the report and presented to the Legislature. Key proposals highlighted by staff include advancing a separate fee study to set amounts for a proposed facility‑permit fee, seeking authority to remove a seven‑year deadline for formal discipline involving abuse or misconduct, modeling enforcement enhancements after the Medical Board of California, and a proposal to mandate a chaperone in cases involving certain criminal or administrative charges.

Board members pressed staff for clarifications. One member asked whether statutory approval would be required to set the facility‑permit fee; Miss Walker said the staff will add a paragraph to the draft under the new issues section and that the actual fee amounts will be provided in a future fee study. On whether the board should seek statutory authority to regulate online practice, Miss Walker advised caution and recommended addressing that issue by rulemaking rather than legislation, saying, “My recommendation is to keep it within regulations ... you have more control over the exact language.”

At the meeting the board refined the motion to explicitly: approve the present draft of the sunset review report incorporating the discussion held that day; add new fee authority for a facility permit under new issue number 1; and delegate authority to the board chair and vice chair to approve the final report prior to submission and to make non‑substantive or technical changes.

The motion was moved and seconded and the moderator conducted a roll call vote. The board recorded unanimous 'yes' votes from Dr. Lawrence Adams, Dr. Daniels, Miss Cruz, Dr. Azzolino, Mr. Sweet and Dr. Perez, and the motion passed.

During the non‑agenda public comment period an individual logged in as '909' urged the board to continue its work on regulating certified animal chiropractors in California; no board action was taken on that request at the meeting.

The meeting also approved the Nov. 7, 2025 meeting minutes earlier in the session by unanimous vote. The board adjourned at 1:29 p.m.

Votes at a glance: - Approve Nov. 7, 2025 meeting minutes — Passed (Yes: Adams, Daniels, Cruz, Azzolino, Sweet, Perez; No/Abstain: none) - Approve draft sunset review report and delegate final sign‑off — Passed (Yes: Adams, Daniels, Cruz, Azzolino, Sweet, Perez; No/Abstain: none)

What happens next: staff will incorporate the edits discussed, add the paragraph on statutory fee authority and submit the finalized report to the Legislature after chair and vice chair sign‑off; a future fee study will present proposed fee amounts.