SENATE BILL 202

47th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2006

INTRODUCED BY

Pete Campos

AN ACT

RELATING TO LICENSURE; AUTHORIZING THE CHIROPRACTIC BOARD TO PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR NON-HUMAN PATIENTS; AMENDING THE CHIROPRACTIC PHYSICIAN PRACTICE ACT.

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

     Section 1. Section 61-4-6 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1968, Chapter 3, Section 6, as amended) is amended to read:

     "61-4-6. EXAMINATION--SUBJECTS--METHOD OF TREATMENT--RECORDING LICENSE.--

          A. The board shall recognize successful completion of all parts of the national board examination.

          B. The board shall examine each applicant in the act of chiropractic adjusting, procedures and methods as shall reveal the applicant's qualifications.

          C. The board shall issue a license to all applicants whose applications have been filed with and approved by the board and who have paid the required fees and passed the board-administered examination with a general average of not less than seventy-five percent with no subject below sixty-five percent. A license shall be refused to any applicant who fails to make application as provided in this section, fails the examination or fails to pay the required fees.

          D. The license, when granted by the board, carries with it the title of doctor of chiropractic and entitles the holder to diagnose using any necessary diagnostic procedures, excluding invasive procedures, except as provided by the board by rule and regulation, and treat injuries, deformities or other physical or mental conditions relating to the basic concepts of chiropractic by the use of any [or all] methods as provided in this section, including but not limited to palpating, diagnosing, adjusting and treating injuries and defects of [human beings] patients by the application of manipulative, manual and mechanical means, including all natural agencies imbued with the healing act, such as food, water, heat, cold, electricity and mechanical appliances, herbs, nutritional supplements and homeopathic remedies, but excluding operative surgery and prescription or use of controlled or dangerous drugs. The holder may also supervise the use of any [or all] natural agencies imbued with the healing act, such as food, water, heat, cold, electricity, mechanical appliances, herbs, nutritional supplements and homeopathic remedies administered by a chiropractic assistant.

          E. The board may promulgate rules and regulations for the treatment of non-human patients as required.

          [E.] F. Failure to display the license shall be grounds for the suspension of the license to practice chiropractic until so displayed and shall subject the licensee to the penalties for practicing without a license."

- 3 -