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SENATE BILL NO. 193
IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA
THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION
BY THE SENATE STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE BY REQUEST
Introduced: 5/13/25
Referred: Health and Social Services, Finance
A BILL
FOR AN ACT ENTITLED
"An Act relating to the practice of naturopathy." 1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 2
* Section 1. AS 08.45 is amended by adding new sections to read: 3
Sec. 08.45.033. Issuance of temporary endorsement. ( a ) T h e d e p a r t m e n t 4
shall issue a temporary endorseme nt to a naturopath licensed un der this chapter if the 5
licensee pays the application fee and furnishes evidence satisf actory to the department 6
that the licensee 7
(1) passed the elective pharmac ology examination portion of th e 8
Naturopathic Physicians Licensi ng Examination or another equiva lent examination 9
approved by the department; and 10
(2) meets other applicable requi rements established by the dep artment 11
in regulation. 12
(b) A naturopath who holds a valid temporary endorsement issued under (a) of 13
this section and is supervised as required under (c) of this se ction may prescribe and 14
administer prescription drugs for preventive and therapeutic pu rposes, except as 15
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provided in AS 08.45.050. 1
(c) A supervising physician shall review the prescription and administration of 2
drugs performed under (b) of thi s section by a naturopath holdi ng a temporary 3
endorsement. The supervising ph ysician shall evaluate and provi de feedback to the 4
naturopath on the naturopath's ability to prescribe and adminis ter drugs under (b) of 5
this section safely and in compliance with the law. 6
(d) A physician who holds a valid license under AS 08.64 may s upervise a 7
naturopath under (c) of this section if the physician 8
(1) has been prescribing and administering prescription drugs for five 9
or more years; and 10
(2) documents the arrangement between the physician and the 11
naturopath on a form established by the department in regulation. 12
(e) Unless additional supervision is required by the departmen t , a f t e r a 13
naturopath has been supervised under (c) of this section for on e year, the supervising 14
physician shall submit a report to the department recommending that the department 15
issue an endorsement to the naturopath, require the naturopath to receive further 16
supervision, or deny the naturopa th an endorsement. A temporary endorsement 17
terminates on the date the naturopath is issued or denied an en dorsement under 18
AS 08.45.034. 19
Sec. 08.45.034. Issuance of endorsement. (a) Upon receiving a 20
recommendation that a naturopath b e issued or denied an endorse ment under 21
AS 08.45.033(e), the department shall issue or deny an endorsem ent to a naturopath 22
licensed under this chapter. U pon receiving a recommendation th at a naturopath 23
requires further supervision under AS 08.45.033(e), the departm ent may issue or deny 24
an endorsement to a naturopath licensed under this chapter or require the naturopath to 25
receive further supervision. 26
(b) A naturopath licensed under this chapter who holds a valid endorsement 27
issued under this section may prescribe and administer prescrip tion drugs for 28
preventive and therapeutic purposes, except as provided in AS 08.45.050. 29
* Sec. 2. AS 08.45 is amended by adding new sections to read: 30
Sec. 08.45.037. Continuing e ducation requirements. (a) The department 31
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shall promote a high degree of c ompetence in the practice of na turopathy in the state 1
by requiring every naturopath licensed under this chapter to fu lfill continuing 2
education requirements. 3
(b) Before a license may be renewed, a naturopath licensed und er this chapter 4
shall complete continuing educa tion requirements prescribed by regulations adopted 5
by the department. Continuing e ducation requirements must be co mpleted during the 6
concluding licensing period and include 30 hours of continuing education approved by 7
the department. 8
(c) Before an endorsement under AS 08.45.033 or 08.45.034 may be renewed 9
with a license under (b) of this section, the naturopath holdin g the endorsement shall 10
complete an additional 20 hours of continuing education on the subject of 11
pharmacotherapy during the concluding licensing period. 12
(d) The department may exempt a naturopath licensed under this chapter from 13
the requirements of (b) or (c) of this section upon an applicat ion by the naturopath 14
giving evidence satisfactory to the department that the naturop ath is unable to comply 15
with the requirements because of extenuating circumstances. However, the department 16
may not exempt a naturopath from more than 15 hours of continui ng education in a 17
four-year period. 18
Sec. 08.45.038. Standards for licen se or endorsement renewal. (a) The 19
department shall renew a license issued under this chapter to a licensee who 20
(1) applies on a form provided by the department and pays the required 21
fee; 22
(2) meets the continuing education requirements for the licens e 23
established under AS 08.45.037; 24
(3) has not been convicted of, or pled guilty or no contest to , a crime 25
that adversely reflects on the licensee's ability or competency to practice as a 26
naturopath or that jeopardizes the safety or well-being of a patient; and 27
(4) has a current cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification. 28
(b) The department shall renew an endorsement issued under AS 08.45.033 or 29
08.45.034 to a licensee who 30
(1) applies for the renewal of a license under (a) of this section; and 31
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(2) meets the continuing educa tion requirements for the endors ement 1
established under AS 08.45.037. 2
Sec. 08.45.039. Standards for license reinstatement. (a) The department may 3
reinstate a license under this chapter if 4
(1) the requirements for a license renewal under AS 08.45.038( a)(1), 5
(3), and (4) have been met; 6
(2) the applicant has met the continuing education requirement s for a 7
license established under AS 08.45.037 during the 24-month peri od preceding the 8
application for reinstatement; and 9
(3) the license has been lapsed for more than 60 days but less than five 10
years. 11
(b) The department may reinsta te an endorsement issued under A S 08.45.033 12
or 08.45.034 if 13
(1) the applicant 14
(A) has a valid license under this chapter, applies on a form 15
provided by the department, and pays the required fee; or 16
(B) meets the requirements for reinstatement of the license 17
under (a) of this section; 18
(2) the applicant has met the continuing education requirements for the 19
endorsement established unde r AS 08.45.037 during the 24-month period preceding 20
the application for reinstatement; and 21
(3) the endorsement has been lapsed for more than 60 days but less 22
than five years. 23
* Sec. 3. AS 08.45.050 is amended to read: 24
Sec. 08.45.050. Restrictions on practice of naturopathy. A person who 25
practices naturopathy may not 26
(1) give, prescribe, or recommend in the practice 27
(A) a prescription drug , except as authorized by an 28
endorsement issued under AS 08.45.033 or 08.45.034; 29
(B) a controlled substance; 30
(C) a poison; 31
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(D) a cancer chemotherapeutic drug; or 1
(E) an antipsychotic drug; 2
(2) engage in surgery; 3
(3) use the word "physician" in the person's title; 4
(4) administer therapeutic ioniz ing radiation or radioactive 5
substances. 6
* Sec. 4. AS 08.45.060 is amended to read: 7
Sec. 08.45.060. Grounds for disciplin ary sanctions [SUSPENSION, 8
REVOCATION, OR REFUSAL TO ISSUE A LICENSE]. The department may, 9
after a hearing, impose a disciplinary sanction on a person lic ensed under this chapter 10
when the department finds that the licensee 11
(1) secured a license or endorsement through deceit, fraud, or 12
intentional misrepresentation; 13
(2) engaged in deceit, fraud, or intentional misrepresentation i n t h e 14
course of providing professional services or engaging in professional activities; 15
(3) advertised professional services in a false or misleading manner; 16
(4) has been convicted of a felony or other crime that affects the 17
licensee's ability to continue to practice competently and safely; 18
(5) failed to comply with this chapter, with a regulation adop ted under 19
this chapter, or with an order of the department; 20
(6) continued to practice after becoming unfit due to 21
(A) professional incompetence; 22
(B) addiction or severe depende ncy on alcohol or a drug that 23
impairs the licensee's ability to practice safely; 24
(C) physical or mental disability; 25
(7) engaged in lewd or immoral conduct in connection with the 26
delivery of professional service to patients. 27
* Sec. 5. AS 08.45.070(a) is amended to read: 28
(a) When the department [IT] finds that a licensee under this chapter has 29
violated AS 08.45.040 - 08.45.050 or is guilty of an offense un der AS 08.45.060, the 30
department may impose the following sanctions singly or in combination: 31
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(1) permanently revoke the license to practice or endorsement held 1
by the licensee; 2
(2) suspend the license to practice or endorsement held by the 3
licensee for a determinate period of time; 4
(3) censure the licensee; 5
(4) issue a letter of reprimand to the licensee; 6
(5) place the licensee on probationary status and require the licensee to 7
(A) report regularly to the department on [UPON] matters 8
involving the basis of probation; 9
(B) limit practice to those areas prescribed; 10
(C) continue professional education until a satisfactory degre e 11
of skill has been attained in areas determined by the departmen t to need 12
improvement; 13
(6) impose limitations or conditions on the practice of the licensee. 14
* Sec. 6. AS 08.45.070(c) is amended to read: 15
(c) The department may summarily suspend a license or endorsement before 16
final hearing or during the app eals process if the department f inds that the licensee 17
poses a clear and immediate dange r to the public health and saf ety if the licensee 18
continues to practice. A licensee whose license or endorsement is suspended under 19
this section is entitled to a hearing conducted by the office o f administrative hearings 20
(AS 44.64.010) not later than seven days after the effective da te of the order. The 21
licensee may appeal the suspension after a hearing to a court of competent jurisdiction. 22
* Sec. 7. AS 08.45.080 is amended to read: 23
Sec. 08.45.080. Unlicensed or unendors ed practice a misdemeanor. Except 24
for a person licensed or authorized under another chapter of th is title who 25
engages in practices for which t hat person is licensed or autho rized under that 26
chapter, a [A] person who practices naturopathy in the state without a valid license or 27
who prescribes or administers drugs without a valid endorsement under 28
AS 08.45.033 or 08.45.034 [IN VIOLATION OF AS 08.45.010] is guilty of a class A 29
misdemeanor and upon conviction is punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000, or 30
by imprisonment for not more than a year, or by both. 31
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* Sec. 8. AS 08.45.090 is amended to read: 1
Sec. 08.45.090. Fraudulent license or endorsement. A person who obtains or 2
attempts to obtain a naturopathic license or endorsement by dishonest or fraudulent 3
means or who forges, counterfeits, or fraudulently alters a nat uropathic license or 4
endorsement is punishable by a fine of not more than $500, or by imprisonm ent for 5
not more than six months, or by both. 6