MarylandSB 00522025 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

Health Occupations - State Board of Chiropractic Examiners - Revisions

Sponsored By: Malcolm Augustine (Democratic)

Signed by Governor

Health OccupationsChiropractorsCommittees and CommissionsDisciplineHealth Occupations -see also- (specific health occupations)Inspections -see also- Motor Vehicle InspectionLicenses -see also- AB Lic; Certifications; DrLic; PermitsNoticesRules and Regulations

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

8 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 6 mixed.

Supervised clinical training for chiropractic students

Beginning July 1, 2025, eligible chiropractic students can practice through organized clinical training called a preceptorship without a full license. They must work under the direct supervision of a Board-approved licensed chiropractor. A qualifying accredited chiropractic program or foreign equivalent must sponsor the training. The Board must adopt rules for these training programs.

New paths to Maryland chiropractic licenses

Beginning July 1, 2025, Maryland removes prior bachelor's-degree and college-course requirements for chiropractic licenses. Applicants can qualify through a chiropractic program accredited at graduation by a qualifying accreditor or equivalent foreign agency. Another path requires at least two years of licensure in another state and program accreditation within four years after graduation. The Board must also find that the program met comparable standards when the applicant graduated. Licenses that include physical therapy require additional qualifications set by Board rules.

Temporary chiropractic licenses allow supervised practice

Beginning July 1, 2025, the Board can grant temporary licenses to applicants still completing full licensing requirements. Applicants must have two years of out-of-state licensure or have graduated from an accredited chiropractic program within the previous six months. They must show good character, begin a full application, submit criminal-history-check evidence, and pay a Board-set fee. Practice requires direct supervision by a Board-approved licensed chiropractor. Unless suspended or revoked, licenses last six months, with 90-day extensions allowed up to 12 months from original issuance.

Chiropractors face rules for restarting inactive licenses

Beginning July 1, 2025, chiropractors restarting an inactive license must meet continuing-education and CPR requirements for the applicable renewal period. They must also pay a Board-set reactivation fee. The law does not state the fee amount.

Chiropractic applicants face application and exam rules

Beginning July 1, 2025, chiropractic applications must include coursework, any preceptorship experience, certified transcripts, degree records, and good-character evidence. Applicants must also submit criminal-history-check evidence and an application fee at least 45 days before an exam. They must pass all required national exam sections or approved equivalents. The Board exam covers Maryland chiropractic and infection-control laws and rules, with at least 75% correct required. One Board exam fee covers two attempts; after two failures, another applicable fee is required.

New nomination rules for chiropractic board members

Beginning July 1, 2025, chiropractor board nominees can come from the Maryland Chiropractic Association or nominations signed by 20 Maryland-licensed chiropractors, up from 15. The Association's list must contain three times the number of vacancies, down from five times. Members must be Maryland residents and active practitioners with at least five consecutive years of Maryland practice. The law removes the requirement to graduate from a resident chiropractic course. Appointments remain with the Governor, with the Secretary's advice and Senate approval.

Chiropractic oversight adds inspections and penalties

Beginning July 1, 2025, the Board can inspect chiropractic offices without notice after complaints alleging CDC standard-precautions violations. This power excludes residential settings and offices in hospitals, related institutions, freestanding medical facilities, or freestanding birthing centers. Subject to hearing rules, grounds for license denial or discipline include professional misconduct, failure to cooperate with lawful investigations, and infection-control violations. The infection-control ground excludes life-threatening emergencies when compliance is not feasible or practical. After a hearing and finding grounds for discipline, the Board can impose up to $5,000 per violation instead of or alongside other discipline.

Chiropractic safety reviews require health exams

Beginning July 1, 2025, the Board must order a health exam during application reviews or investigations when objective evidence supports concern about harm. A Board-designated provider performs the exam, and the Board pays its cost. A written request counts as consent and waives confidentiality protections for the examiner's testimony and reports. Failure or refusal counts as initial evidence of inability to practice competently. That consequence does not apply when the Board finds the failure or refusal was beyond the licensee's control.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

Malcolm Augustine
Democratic • Senate

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 184 • No: 0

House vote • 4/3/2025

Third Reading Passed

Yes: 138 • No: 0

Senate vote • 2/27/2025