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SB29 INTRODUCED
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SB29
ARL6Z77-1
By Senator Woods
RFD: State Governmental Affairs
First Read: 13-Jan-26
PFD: 17-Dec-25
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ARL6Z77-1 12/04/2025 ZAK (L)ZAK 2025-3420
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PFD: 17-Dec-25
SYNOPSIS:
Under existing law, a member of th e State Board
of Chiropractic Examiners must be a graduate of a
chiropractic school that required actual attendance in
the school to graduate.
This bill would remove the requirement that, for
purposes of board member qualification, the school that
a board member graduated from must have required actual
attendance to graduate.
Under existing law, applicants for a license to
practice chiropractic in the state must be a graduate
of a chiropractic school that teaches only attendance
courses and requires a four-year standard college
course.
This bill would remove the requirements that
such schools teach only attendance courses and require
a four-year standard college course.
Under existing law, certain applicants for
licensure must have a bachelor's degree or an academic
graduate degree and have completed a standardized test
commensurate with the graduate degree.
This bill would remove the requirement that
applicants must hold a bachelor's or other academic
graduate degree to qualify for licensure.
This bill would also make nonsubstantive,
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This bill would also make nonsubstantive,
technical revisions to update the existing code
language to current style.
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners;
to amend Section 34-24-140, as last amended by Act 2025-335,
Regular Session, and Sections 34-24-160 and 34-24-161, Code of
Alabama 1975, to revise the requirements for serving on the
board; to revise the qualifications that applicants must
satisfy for licensure ; and to make nonsubstantive, technical
revisions to update the existing code language to current
style
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Section 34-24-140, as last amended by Act
2025-335, Regular Session, and Sections 34-24-160 and
34-24-161, Code of Alabama 1975, are amended to read as
follows:
"§34-24-140
(a) There is established a State Board of Chiropractic
Examiners. The board shall be composed of nine members. Eight
members of the board shall be active licensed chiropractors
elected as provided in this section. Seven of the elected
members shall be elected one from each congressional district
in this state except as otherwise provided in Section
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in this state except as otherwise provided in Section
34-24-141. Any candidate for or member of the board shall be a
resident of the appropriate congressional district except one
candidate for the board shall be elected from the state
at-large. One elected member of the board shall be elected
from the state at-large and shall be an African-American.
(b) Each elected member of or candidate for the board
shall meet all of the following qualifications:
(1) Be Is a resident of this state who has resided in
this state for at least five years.
(2) Be Is a graduate of a chartered chiropractic school
or college that required actual attendance in the school as a
prerequisite to graduation .
(3) Currently is Is currently engaged in the clinical
practice of chiropractic and has been engaged in the clinical
practice in this state for at least the five immediately
preceding years.
(4) Has renewed his or her license to practice
chiropractic by September 30 of the year in which an election
shall take place.
(5) Be Is of good moral character.
(6) Is not presently on probation relating to the
practice of chiropractic in any state.
(c) One member of the board shall be a consumer member
appointed by the Governor. Neither the consumer member nor his
or her spouse may be a chiropractor. The consumer member may
not be an immediate family member of a chiropractor nor may he
or she be employed in the chiropractic field.
(d)(1) The elected members of the board shall be
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(d)(1) The elected members of the board shall be
elected as provided in this subsection. In August of any year
that the term of a member of the board expires, the board
shall send a notice of the election of the board and the
method of qualifying as a candidate to each active licensed
chiropractor in the district where the vacancy occurs
according to his or her permanent mailing address.
(2) The election provided for in this subsection shall
be conducted by an independent agency unless there is only one
candidate for the board and in this situation , in which case
the board shall announce the results. The board shall set a
period for candidates to qualify and the date for the ballots
to be sent. Candidates shall qualify by submitting their name
to the executive director of the board during the qualifying
period which shall be not less than 20 days nor more than 40
days after the notice is sent.
(3) Not less than 14 days after the deadline for
qualification, each licensed chiropractor shall be sent a
ballot for the appropriate congressional district where the
vacancy is to be filled. In order to be counted, the ballots
shall must be returned and time stamped not later than 14
business days after the ballots were sent by the independent
agency.
(4) The results of the election shall be certified by
the independent agency. The ballots shall be maintained for a
period of six months by the independent agency. The candidate
with a simple majority of the votes cast in each respective
congressional district shall be elected to the board position
for that congressional district. In the event If no candidate
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for that congressional district. In the event If no candidate
in a district receives a majority of the votes, the board
shall hold a run-off election in the same manner as provided
in this subsection.
(5) The members of the board shall take office at the
first meeting of the board after the election and the
executive director of the board shall set the date of the
first meeting of the board after the election of the new
board.
(e) Whenever a vacancy occurs on the board, whether by
death, resignation of a member, or other cause , the vacancy
shall be filled in the same manner as the original election or
appointment for the remainder of the term of office.
(f)(1) The board may employ investigators, inspectors,
attorneys, and any other agents, employees, and assistants as
may be necessary, and may use any other means necessary to
bring about and maintain a rigid administration and
enforcement of administer and enforce state and federal law.
(2) The board may issue subpoenas and compel the
attendance of witnesses and the production of all necessary
papers, books, records, documentary evidence and materials, or
other evidence. Any individual failing or refusing to appear
or testify regarding any matter about which he or she may be
lawfully questioned or to produce any papers, books, records,
documentary evidence or materials, or other evidence in the
matter to be heard, after having been required by order of the
board or by a or subpoena of the board to do so, upon
application by the board to any circuit judge of this state,
may be ordered to comply therewith. Upon failure to comply
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may be ordered to comply therewith. Upon failure to comply
with the order of the circuit judge, the court may compel
obedience by attachment as for contempt as in case of
disobedience of a similar order or subpoena issued by the
court. The president or secretary-treasurer of the board may
issue subpoenas, and any board member may administer oaths to
witnesses or take their affirmation. A subpoena or other
process of paper may be served upon any person named therein,
anywhere within this state, by any officer authorized to serve
subpoenas or other process or paper in civil actions, in the
same manner as is prescribed by law for subpoenas issued out
of the circuit courts of this state, the fees and mileage and
other costs to be paid as the board directs.
(g) The board shall employ an executive director who
shall be responsible for the administration of board policy.
The executive director may be licensed to practice
chiropractic in this state.
(h) The board shall publish annually a directory
listing all permit holders and all persons licensed to
practice chiropractic in this state. Copies of the directory
shall be made available from the executive director at a cost
set by rule of the board.
(i) The membership of the board shall be inclusive and
reflect the racial, gender, geographic, urban, rural, and
economic diversity of the state.
(j) Each member of the board shall meet all
qualifications to be a candidate for his or her seat on the
board during his or her entire term. Any member who fails to
continue to meet the qualifications for his or her seat shall
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continue to meet the qualifications for his or her seat shall
forfeit his or her seat on the board and resign or the board
seat shall be declared vacant by the board."
"§34-24-160
(a) Any person individual wishing the right to practice
chiropractic shall make application to the State Board of
Chiropractic Examiners in the form as the board may prescribe.
(b)(1) In addition to other requirements established by
law and for the purpose of determining an applicant's
suitability for a license to practice chiropractic, each
applicant shall submit a complete set of fingerprints to the
State Board of Chiropractic Examiners board .
(2) The board shall submit the fingerprints provided by
each applicant for a license to practice chiropractic to the
Alabama Bureau of Investigation (ABI) Alabama State Law
Enforcement Agency . The fingerprints shall be forwarded by the
ABI board or agency to the Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI) for a state and national criminal history record
background check. Costs associated with conducting a criminal
history background check shall be borne by the applicant.
(3) The State Board of Chiropractic Examiners board
shall keep information received pursuant to this section
confidential, except that such any information received and
relied upon in denying the issuance of a license to practice
chiropractic in this state may be disclosed as may be
necessary to support the denial. This requirement also shall
apply to any person who is not licensed as a chiropractor who
applies for a permit pursuant to Section 34-24-123(b).
(c) Each applicant shall be of good moral character ,
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(c) Each applicant shall be of good moral character ,
and a citizen of the United States or, if not a citizen of the
United States , a person an individual who is legally present
in the United States with appropriate documentation from the
federal government.
(d) Each applicant shall be a graduate of a chartered
chiropractic school or college accredited by the council of
chiropractic education which teaches only attendance courses
and requires a minimum four-year standard college course
Council of Chiropractic Education or successor entity .
(e) An applicant for licensure who graduated from
chiropractic college after January 1, 2010, shall have a
bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
Absent a bachelor's degree, the requirement may be met by an
academic graduate degree from a regionally accredited college
or university and proof that the applicant has taken a
nationally recognized standardized test commensurate with that
applicant's graduate degree.
(f)(e) The An application shall be signed by the
applicant in his or her own handwriting, and shall be
notarized, and shall recite the history of the applicant's
educational qualifications, how long he or she has studied
chiropractic, what collateral branches, if any, he or she has
studied, and the length of time he or she has engaged in
clinical practice , with proof thereof in the form of diplomas,
certificates, and transcripts , etc.
(g)(f) Each applicant shall submit with his or her
application satisfactory evidence of good character and
reputation.
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reputation.
(h)(g) Each applicant for licensure shall pay to the
board a license application fee of not less than fifty dollars
($50) and not more than one hundred fifty dollars ($150) , the
exact amount to be fixed annually by resolution of the State
Board of Chiropractic Examiners as set by rule of the board .
The fee shall accompany the application. A fee of not less
than fifty dollars ($50) and not more than one hundred fifty
dollars ($150), the exact amount to be fixed by resolution of
the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners shall be paid for
any subsequent examination. "
"§34-24-161
(a)(1) Each applicant , who matriculated into a
chiropractic college after January 1, 1973, must shall pass
parts one and two of the examination administered by the
National Board of Chiropractic Examiners or other national
examination as approved by the board. In addition, each
applicant must pass an examination administered by the board
on this article and the rules of the board.
(2) Each applicant for examination shall pay to the
board an examination application fee of not less than fifty
dollars ($50) nor more than one hundred fifty dollars ($150)
as set by rule of the board. The fee shall be due for each
examination application.
(b) The State Board of Chiropractic Examiners board
shall prescribe rules and regulations regarding which national
examination shall be administered, the conduct of and times
and places of examinations, and requirements for successful
completion of examinations. A license shall be issued for each
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completion of examinations. A license shall be issued for each
applicant who successfully completes the examination.
(c) Irrespective of the requirements in subsections
Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b), the board may license
an applicant if the applicant he or she is licensed in another
state that, in the opinion of the board, has standards of
practice or licensure equal to or stricter than the
requirements imposed by this article. If the applicant
graduated from chiropractic college after January 1, 2010, he
or she must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited
college or university. Absent a bachelor's degree, the
requirement may be met by an academic graduate degree from a
regionally accredited college or university and proof that the
applicant has taken a nationally recognized standardized test
commensurate with that applicant's graduate degree.
(d) Upon completion of all requirements for licensure ,
an applicant shall be issued a license. The fee for issuance
of a license shall be established by rule of the board. Each
license shall be dated and numbered in the order of issuance
and shall be signed by the executive director and the
president of the board.
(e) Replacement licenses:
(1) Any licensee whose license is lost or destroyed may
be issued a replacement license upon making application to the
board. The application must be accompanied by an affidavit
setting out the facts concerning the loss or destruction.
(2) Name change. Any licensee whose name is changed by
marriage or court order may surrender his or her license and
apply for a replacement license.
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apply for a replacement license.
(3) The fee for any replacement license shall be
established by rule of the board.
(f) Each licensed chiropractor who is actively engaged
in practice or who holds himself or herself out as a
chiropractor shall place or cause to be placed in a
conspicuous place at the entrance of his or her office or
place in which he or she practices a sign in intelligible
lettering not less than one inch in height containing the name
of the chiropractor and in lettering no smaller than half the
size of the name of the chiropractor, the words "CHIROPRACTOR"
or "CHIROPRACTIC." The intent of this requirement is that the
office of the licensee be clearly identified by name and
profession.
(g) Any licensee or permittee upon request shall be
issued a duplicate license upon payment of a fee to be as
established by rule of the board."
Section 2. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026.
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