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HB 787 - Chiropractors; scope of practice; allow acupuncture

Reichert, Robert A. B. (126th)	Bohannon, Pamela W (139th)	West, Jack (101st)
DeLoach, George L (119th)	Watson, Stanley (70th)

Status Summary	HC:		SC:		FR:	/ /	LA:	/ /

First Reader Summary

A BILL to amend Code Section 43-9-16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the scope of practice of chiropractors, so as to authorize certain chiropractors to use acupuncture in the treatment of patients; and for other purposes.

HB 787                                              LC 9 9942 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                        A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 
                               AN ACT 
 
 
  1- 1  To amend Code Section 43-9-16 of the Official Code of 
  1- 2  Georgia Annotated, relating to the scope of practice of 
  1- 3  chiropractors, so as to authorize certain chiropractors to 
  1- 4  use acupuncture in the treatment of patients; to provide 
  1- 5  definitions; to provide for requirements; to provide for the 
  1- 6  approval of certain educational programs; to repeal 
  1- 7  conflicting laws; and for other purposes. 
 
  1- 8       BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA: 
 
  1- 9                           SECTION 1. 
 
  1-10  Code Section 43-9-16 of the Official Code of Georgia 
  1-11  Annotated, relating to the scope of practice of 
  1-12  chiropractors, is amended by striking subsection (f) of said 
  1-13  Code section and inserting in its place the following: 
 
  1-14    "(f) Chiropractors shall not use venipuncture, capillary 
  1-15    puncture, acupuncture, or any other technique which is 
  1-16    invasive of the human body either by penetrating the skin 
  1-17    or through any of the orifices of the body or through the 
  1-18    use of colonics." 
 
  1-19                           SECTION 2. 
 
  1-20  Said Code section is further amended by adding at the end 
  1-21  thereof a new subsection (j) to read as follows: 
 
  1-22      "(j)(1) As used in this subsection, the term: 
 
  1-23        (A) 'Acupuncture' means a form of therapy developed 
  1-24        from traditional and modern Oriental concepts of 
  1-25        health care that employs Oriental medical techniques, 
  1-26        treatment, and adjunctive therapies for the promotion, 
  1-27        maintenance, and restoration of health and the 
  1-28        prevention of disease. 
 
  1-29        (B) 'Practice of acupuncture' means the insertion of 
  1-30        disposable acupuncture needles and the application of 
  1-31        moxibustion to specific areas of the human body based 
  1-32        upon Oriental medical principles as a therapeutic 
 
 
 
                                 -1- 
 
 
 
  2- 1        modality.  Adjunctive therapies within the scope of 
  2- 2        acupuncture may include manual, mechanical, thermal, 
  2- 3        electrical, and electromagnetic treatment and the 
  2- 4        recommendation of dietary guidelines and therapeutic 
  2- 5        exercise based on traditional Oriental medicine 
  2- 6        concepts. 
 
  2- 7      (2)  Any chiropractor who has successfully completed a 
  2- 8      course of study consisting of not less than 108 hours of 
  2- 9      study and approved by the Georgia Board of Chiropractic 
  2-10      Examiners and who has been certified to use acupuncture 
  2-11      by the board may use acupuncture in the treatment of 
  2-12      patients.  The use of acupuncture by any other 
  2-13      chiropractor shall be unlawful.  The use of acupuncture 
  2-14      by a chiropractor certified by the board to use 
  2-15      acupuncture shall be lawful, shall be within the scope 
  2-16      of practice of such chiropractor, and shall not 
  2-17      constitute the practice of medicine." 
 
  2-18                           SECTION 2. 
 
  2-19  All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are 
  2-20  repealed. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                 -2-