An Act to Allow
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1220
Committee Amendment CA_A_H955 (House)
Amends: 32 MRSA §456, 32 MRSA §503-B, 32 MRSA §4859-B, 32 MRSA §4860

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "/f" to H,P. 795, L,D. 1220, "An Act to Allow
Chiropractors to Treat Dogs and Equids"
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substit.iting the following:
'An Act to Allow Chiropractors to Perform Animal Chiropractic Care Under Certain
Conditions'
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and inserting the
following;
'See. 1. 32 MRSA §456 is enacted to read:
§456, Animal chiropractic care
1. Definitions. For the purposes of this section, unless the context otherwise indicates.
the following terms have the following meanmgs,
A, "Animal" has the same meaning as in section 4853. subsection 1.
B, "Animal chiropractic care" means the evaluation and treatment of an animal's
vertebral or extremity joint dysfunction through manual SBinal and ioint maniBulation
of the musculoskeletal system. "Animal chiropractic care" does not include medical
diagnosis; systemic disease treatment; the performing of surgery; the dispensing or
administerine of medications, drugs or biologies; or the performance of any traditional
veterinary care and diagnosis unless the individual is a veterinarian licensed pursuant
to chapter 71-A.
C. "Evaluation" means a comorehensive clinical assessment and physical examination
to assess the animal's musculoskeletal health, focusing on posture. gait and movement
patterns,
2. Authority to perform animal chiropractic care. A chu'opractor licensed under
2 this chaptermay submit an application together with the fee established pursuant to sertjpn
558 to the board for additional authority to perform animal chiropractic care in accordance
4 with the following rea u irements,
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT " /+ " to H,P. 795, L.D. 1220
A. A licensee applying for the authority under this subsection shall orovide;
fl) Verification of having obtained mitial certification from the Animal
Chirooractic Certification Commission or its successor organization demonstrating
successful completion of a basic chiropractic animal training program accredited
by the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association_ or the International
Veterinary Chiropractic Association or either of their successor organizations or
another basic chiropractic animal training isrogram approved by the board; and
(2) Verification of having successfully passed any written and practical
examinations approved by the American Veterinary Chjropractic Association, the
International Veterinary Chh'opractic Association or either of their successor
organizations or other examinations awroved by the board,
B. After receiving the additional authority to perform animal chiropractic care fi'om the
board under paragraph A. the licensee must successfullY cQmplete at least 22 hours of
continuing education prior to each renewal of the licensee's license under section 553-A
that is specific to the evaluation and treatment of animals, includine a 2-hour course on
the animal welfare laws and a 2-hour course on contaeious. infectious and zoonotic
diseases in this State and other jurisdictions that might affect a licensee's animal
patients. The continuing education requit'ed under this paragraph may not be_c_onstrued
to expand the scope of anknal chu-ooractic care beyond the initial authority obtained
by a licensee under paragraph A.
3. Requirements to perform animal chiropractic care. A chiropractor licensed
under this chapter who has been issued the additional authority by the board under
subsection 2 may perform animal chiropractic care on a conscious animal in accordance
with the requirements of this subsection,
A, A licGTiseGm&YJ^l'fQrmmvmsA chiropractic care on an animal to only those species
of animals on which the licensee has received training and as lone as the licensee;
CD Has obtained a referral from a veterinarian licensed under chapter 71-A to
perform animal chu'opractic care on that animal; or
(2) After completing an initial evaluation of the animal, requests and receives
medical clearance from a veterinarian licensed under chapter 71-A that animal
chiropractic care for that anunal is aoDropriate. A licensed veterinarian shall
respond to a request from a licenseeunder this paragraph within 48 hours of
receiving the request in accordance with joint rules adopted by the board and the
State Board of Veterinary Medicine. A Jicensee_shall maintain accurate and
5 complete records of requests for medical clearance and documentation of requests
granted under this subparagraph and such records must be made available to the
board upon request, The board and the State Board of Veterinary Medicine shall
8 iointlvadopt rulesto implement the process for obtainine a medical clearance and
9 the responsibilities of licensees and licensed veterinarians under this subparaeraph,
Rules adopted under this subnaraeraoh are routine technical rules as described in
Title 5. chapter 375. subchapter 2-A,
B. Prior to providing animal chiropractic care to an animal and after meeting the
requirements of paragraph A, a licensee shall obtain a completed application-for-care
form for each animal signed by the animal's owner, owner's agent or another individual
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
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,Ck COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "j\-'
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "^" to H.P, 795, L.D. 1220
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responsible for the animal. At a minimum, the application-for-care form must include
the following;
(1') A statement that the licensee is not a licensed veterinanan andmay notmajntam
primary responsibility for the animal's care;
f2) A statement that animal chiropractic care is not mtended to replace traditional
veterinary care and is considered an alternative therapv tojbe used concurreatlv and
in conjunction with traditional veterinary care by a licensed vetennanani
(3) A__statement of whether the animal has had a veterinarian-client-patient
relationship as described in section 4877 with a licensed veterinarian withinjhe
past 12 months;
C4LA statement of whether a licensed veterinarian has provided a diagnosis of the
medical condition of the animal for which animal chiropractic care is sought, and
if so. a documentation of the specific diagnosis; and
(5) A statement authorizing the licensee to provide animal chu-opractic care to the
animal.
C. A licensee may not diagnose medical conditions of an animal for which animal
chiroN'actic care is sought and shall refer an animal to a licensed veterinarian for
imaging, laboratory work_or other diaenostic testing if the licensee suspects that
uaderlving conditions exist.
D. If a licensee suspects that the animal has a contagious disease required to bereported
under state law. the licensee shall notify the animal's veterinarian and the Department
ofAgnculture, Conservation and Forestry. division of animal and plant health.
E. If a licensee suspects that the animal is the subi ect of cruelty or neelect in violation
of Title 7. chapter 739 or of Title 17. chapter 42. the licensee shall report the suspected
violation pursuant to Title 7. section 4018,
F. If a licensee has reasonable knowledge that an animal receiving animal chu'ooractic
care from the licensee has died or has received emergency care or transport to a
8 veterinarian within_48 hours of receivine care from the licensee, the licensee shall
report that information to.the board, including the date and time of the treatment
provided by the licensee, the name of the animal's owner and a description of any
treatment provided to the animal by the licensee.
G. A licensee shall maintain for at least 7 years a medical record for each animal
orovided with animal chiropractic care, includmfi a CODV of the siened application-for-
4 care form under paragraoh B for each animal. Upon request, the licensee shall provide
the medical record to the board and to the animal's veterinarian within 2 business days.
4. Use of title. A chiropractor licensed under this chapter may not use the title "animal
chiropractor" or purport to be an animal chiropractor unless the licensee has been issued
8 the additional authority by the board under subsection 2 to perform animal chiropractic care
under this section,
5. IVIalpractice insurance. A chiropractor licensed under this chapter who has been
issued the additional authoritY^b^^ under subsection 2 to perform animal
chiropractic care shall at all times maintain malpractice insurance specific to animal
chirom'actic care,
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "/4- " to H.P. 795, L,D, 1220
6. List of licensees authorized to provide animal chiroiiractic care. The board shall
make available on its publicly accessible^websjte a list of all licensees with authority to
provide animal chiropractic care under this section. The board shall update the list as
necessary, but not less frequently than quarterly^
7. Practice of veterinary medicine; liability. This section does not restrict a licensed
veterinarian from eneagine in the practice of veterinary medicine Dyrsuantto.chaoter 71-A.
A veterinarian who has an_estabHshed3Leterinarian-client-patient relationship with an
animal as described in section 4877 is not liable for any acts or omissions of a licensed
chiropractor with authority under this section to provide animal chiropractic care.
8. Rules. Except as provided in subsection S^paragraph A,subi3aragraph (2), the board
may adopt rules to implement this section as necessary and prior to adopting any rules, the
board shall consult with the State Board of Veterinary Medicine. .Rules adQpted_Byrsuant
to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5. chapter 375, subchapter
2-A.
Sec. 2. 32 MRSA §S03-B, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 402, Ft. H, §7, is
amended to read;
4. Noachiropractic practice. Offering health services outside the field of
chiropractic; or
Sec. 3. 32 MRSA §503-B, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 2007, c, 402, Pt. H, §7, is
amended to read;
5. Fee-splitting. Splitting or dividing a fee with an individual who is not an associate
licensed as a chiropractorT; or
Sec. 4. 32 MRSA §S03-B, sub-§6 is enacted to read;
6. Animal chiropractic_care. Violating this chaBter or rules adopted bvlhe bQard
whenprovidine animal chiropractic care.
Sec. 5. 32 MRSA §4859-B is enacted to read;
S4859-B. Joint rules; animal chiropractic care
Pursuant to section 456, subsection 3, paragraph A, subparagraph (2), the board shall
jointly adopt rules_wjth the Board of Chironractic Licensure to implement the process for
obtaining a medical clearance from a licensed veterinarian authorizing animal chiropractic
care_and the responsibilities under that subparaeraoh of licensed veterinarians and licensed
2 chirooractors with authority to provide animal chiropractic care. Rules adopted under this
paragraph are routine technical rules as described in Title 5. chapter 375. subchatrter 2-A.
Sec. 6. 32 MRSA §4860, sub-§13 is enacted to read:
5 13. Licensed chiropractor authorized to perform animal chiropractic care. A
chiropractor licensed under chapter 9 performing animalchimDractic care in accordance
with the requirements of section 456,'
8 Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section
number to read consecutive ly,
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "Pf" to H.P, 795, L,D, 1220
SUMMARY
This amendment, which is the majority report of the committee, replaces the bill and
changes the title. The amendment authorizes a chiropractor licensed in this State to apply
for additional authority from the Board of Chiropractic Licensure to provide animal
chiropractic care to animals as long as the licensed chiropractor obtains training and
successfully passes any written and practical examinations approved by the licensing
board. After receiving initial authority, a licensed chiropractor must complete at least 22
hours of continuing education prior to each renewal of the licensee's chiropractic license
that is specific to the evaluation and treatment of animals, including a 2-hour course on the
animal welfare laws and a 2-hour course on contagious, infectious and zoonotic diseases
in this State.
The amendment authorizes a licensed chiropractor with this additional authority to
perform anunal chu'opractic care to only those species of animals on which the licensee has
received training and as long as the licensee has obtamed a referral from a licensed
veterinarian to perform animal chiropractic care on that animal or, after completing an
initial evaluation of the animal, has received medical clearance from a licensed veterinarian
that animal chiropractic care for that animal is appropriate. A licensed veterinarian must
respond to a request for medical clearance within 48 hours of receiving the request. The
amendment requires the Board of Chiropractic Licensure and the State Board of Veterinary
Medicine to jointly adopt rules to implement the process for obtaining a medical clearance
and the responsibilities of licensees and licensed veterinarians,
The amendment requires a licensed chiropractor with this additional authority to notify
the animal's veterinarian and the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry,
division of animal and plant health of suspected contagious disease and to report suspected
animal abuse or neglect. The amendment also requires a licensee to maintain malpractice
insurance specific to animal chiropractic care.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Approved: 03/24/26 LRL
LD 1220 LR 2375(02)
An Act to Allow Chiropractors to Treat Dogs and Equids
Fiscal Note for BiU as Amended by Committee Amendment 'j
Committee: Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
Future biennium cost increase - Other Special Revenue Funds
Future biermium revenue increase - Other Special Revenue Funds
Fiscal Detail and Notes
Expanding the scope of practice for the Board of Chiropractic Licensure may result in increased costs over time. The
board does not have sufficient projected revenue and available cash to support these costs, and a fee increase may be
necessary.
Any additional administrative costs to the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation, Office of
Professional and Occupational Regulation, associated with implementing the provisions of this bill, including
rulemaking, oversight of licensed professionals, and reporting requirements, can be absorbed within existing budgeted
resource.
LR2375(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1