LD1220 • 2025

An Act to Allow Chiropractors to Treat Dogs and Equids

Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor: Representative Robert Foley
Last action: 2026-04-06
Official status: Reports READ Motion by Senator BAILEY of York to ACCEPT The Majority Ought to Pass As Amended Report in NON-CONCURRENCE FAILED Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 867 Yeas 16 - Nays 16 - Excused 3 - Absent 0 On motion by Senator PIERCE of Cumberland Tabled until Later in Today's Session, pending ACCEPTANCE of The Minority Ought Not To Pass Report in concurrence. Taken from the table by the President Subsequently The Minority Ought Not To Pass Report ACCEPTED in concurrence. Placed in Legislative Files (DEAD)
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act to Allow Chiropractors to Treat Dogs and Equids

An Act to Allow Chiropractors to Treat Dogs and Equids Sponsor: Representative Robert Foley Reference committee: Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Latest committee action: Reported Out; OTP-AM/ONTP

What This Bill Does

An Act to Allow Chiropractors to Treat Dogs and Equids Sponsor: Representative Robert Foley Reference committee: Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Latest committee action: Reported Out; OTP-AM/ONTP

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

C-A (H-955)

Filed

Plain English: Page 1 - 132LR2375(02) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 1 L.D.

Page 1 - 132LR2375(02) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 1 L.D.
1220 2 Date: (Filing No.
H- ) 3HEALTH COVERAGE, INSURANCE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES 4 Reproduced and distributed under the direction of the Clerk of the House.
5STATE OF MAINE 6HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 7132ND LEGISLATURE 8SECOND REGULAR SESSION 9 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT “ ” to H.P.

Bill History

2026-04-06 Senate
Reports READ Motion by Senator BAILEY of York to ACCEPT The Majority Ought to Pass As Amended Report in NON-CONCURRENCE FAILED Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 867 Yeas 16 - Nays 16 - Excused 3 - Absent 0 On motion by Senator PIERCE of Cumberland Tabled until Later in Today's Session, pending ACCEPTANCE of The Minority Ought Not To Pass Report in concurrence. Taken from the table by the President Subsequently The Minority Ought Not To Pass Report ACCEPTED in concurrence. Placed in Legislative Files (DEAD)
2026-04-02 House
Reports READ . Motion of Representative MATHIESON of Kittery to ACCEPT the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report FAILED . ROLL CALL NO. 712 (Yeas 47 - Nays 97 - Absent 6 - Excused 0 - Vacant 1) Subsequently, on motion of Representative MATHIESON of Kittery, the Minority Ought Not to Pass Report was ACCEPTED . Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
2026-03-31 Committee
Reported Out; OTP-AM/ONTP
2026-03-04 Committee
Work Session Held
2026-03-04 Committee
Voted; Divided Report
2026-02-11 Committee
Work Session Held; TABLED
2026-01-14 Committee
Work Session Held; TABLED
2025-05-19 Committee
Carry Over Approved
2025-05-16 Committee
Carry Over Requested
2025-05-15 Committee
Work Session Held; TABLED
2025-04-16 Committee
Work Session Held; TABLED
2025-03-20 Committee
Referred to Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services.

Official Summary Text

An Act to Allow Chiropractors to Treat Dogs and Equids
Sponsor:
Representative Robert Foley
Reference committee:
Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services
Latest committee action:
Reported Out; OTP-AM/ONTP

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Printed on recycled paper
132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 1220
H.P. 795 House of Representatives, March 20, 2025
An Act to Allow Chiropractors to Treat Dogs and Equids
Reference to the Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services
suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative FOLEY of Wells.
Cosponsored by Senator BRADSTREET of Kennebec and
Representatives: FLYNN of Albion, MASON of Lisbon, MCINTYRE of Lowell, MORRIS of
Turner, OLSEN of Raymond, POMERLEAU of Standish.

Page 1 - 132LR2375(01)
1Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
2Sec. 1. 32 MRSA §456 is enacted to read:
3§456. Animal chiropractic care
41. Equid defined. For the purposes of this section, unless the context otherwise
5 indicates, "equid" means an animal from the family Equidae, including, but not limited to,
6 a horse, donkey, mule or zebra.
72. Certification to perform animal chiropractic care. The board shall certify a
8 person licensed under this chapter to perform animal chiropractic care if the licensee has
9 successfully completed a 210-hour course of instruction in animal chiropractic care
10 approved by the board.
11 After receiving an initial certification from the board, the licensee must successfully
12 complete at least 20 hours of continuing education prior to each renewal of the licensee's
13 license that is specific to the diagnosis and treatment of animals, including a 2-hour course
14 on contagious, infectious and zoonotic diseases in this State and other locations that might
15 affect a licensee's animal patients.
163. Authorization to perform animal chiropractic care. A person licensed under this
17 chapter who is certified by the board pursuant to subsection 2 may perform animal
18 chiropractic care on a conscious dog or equid in accordance with the requirements of this
19 subsection.
20 A. After a referral from a licensed veterinarian, a licensee may perform animal
21 chiropractic care on a dog or equid. The licensee shall submit an initiation of treatment
22 report to the primary veterinarian of the dog or equid within 7 days of providing animal
23 chiropractic care to that dog or equid.
24 B. If a licensee suspects that the dog or equid has a contagious disease required to be
25 reported under state law, the licensee shall notify the primary veterinarian and the
26 Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, division of animal and plant
27 health.
28 C. A licensee may perform animal chiropractic care on a dog or equid without a referral
29 from a licensed veterinarian only upon completion of additional course work approved
30 by the State Board of Veterinary Medicine of at least 8 hours of instruction in
31 contagious, infectious and zoonotic diseases and at least one hour of instruction in
32 animal chiropractic care jurisprudence.
334. Malpractice insurance. A person licensed under this chapter who is certified by
34 the board to perform animal chiropractic care shall at all times maintain malpractice
35 insurance specific to animal chiropractic care.
36Sec. 2. 32 MRSA §4860, sub-§13 is enacted to read:
3713. Licensed chiropractor certified to perform animal chiropractic care. A
38 chiropractor licensed under chapter 9 performing animal chiropractic care in accordance
39 with the requirements of section 456.
Page 2 - 132LR2375(01)
1SUMMARY
2 This bill authorizes a chiropractor licensed in this State to provide chiropractic care to
3 dogs and equids as long as the licensed chiropractor is certified to perform animal
4 chiropractic care and meets other conditions specified in the bill.
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