HOUSE BILL 479

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2025

INTRODUCED BY

Gail Armstrong and Rebecca Dow

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO LICENSING; ENACTING A NEW SECTION OF THE UNIFORM LICENSING ACT TO PROHIBIT NON-PHYSICIAN HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS WITH A DOCTORAL DEGREE FROM USING THE TITLE OF "DOCTOR" IN ANY FORM OF ADVERTISING OR COMMUNICATION IN A CLINICAL SETTING WITHOUT IDENTIFYING AS A DOCTOR OF A SPECIFIC PROFESSION; PROVIDING FOR PROFESSIONAL DISCIPLINE.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. A new section of the Uniform Licensing Act is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] PROHIBITING NON-PHYSICIAN HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS FROM USING THE TITLE OF "DOCTOR".--

          A. A non-physician health care provider shall only use the titles and abbreviations authorized by the non-physician health care provider's respective professional licensing statutes.

          B. A non-physician health care provider who has obtained a doctoral degree in the profession governed by the non-physician health care provider's professional licensing statute may use the letter "D" in front of the abbreviations authorized by the relevant statute.

          C. A non-physician health care provider shall not use the title of "doctor" without clearly identifying as a doctor of a specific profession in any:

                 (1) form of advertisement, printed or electronic material that names the non-physician health care provider, practice, profession or institution in which the non-physician health care provider is employed, volunteers or otherwise provides services, including signage, business cards, identification badges, letterheads, brochures, email, websites or internet platforms; or

                (2) in-person or technology-assisted clinical interaction with patients or the patients' caregivers.

          D. A violation of this section shall be grounds for disciplinary action, including denial, suspension or revocation of the non-physician health care provider's license pursuant to the applicable professional licensing act.

          E. Each board or department shall adopt rules to implement this section."

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