State Official, Senator Fault Chiropractic Board
The California Board of Chiropractic Examiners on Monday came under fire at a hearing of the Senate Committee on Business, Professions and Economic Development for bypassing state law to pass a resolution that supports a controversial chiropractic practice, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Lisa Goldkuhl, the deputy legislative counsel, testified that the chiropractic board did not propose a resolution endorsing manipulation under anesthesia, or MUA, through the Office of Administrative Law. Goldkuhl said the board's resolution must go through OAL to legalize the procedure in California.
However, board members told the committee on Monday that MUA has been legal since the board in 1990 stated that chiropractic work is "not made illegal simply because the patient is under anesthesia."
One month after drawing legislative criticism for passing the resolution, the board at its April meeting refused to rescind the resolution, acting against the advice of its legal counsel.
Industry representatives warned the board that rescinding the resolution would create confusion among chiropractors.
Sen. Mark Ridley-Thomas (D-Los Angeles), chair of the committee, said the board's actions have posed a risk to the public and have left taxpayers vulnerable to MUA-related lawsuits. He added that he will continue to delay funding for the board in the state budget process and seek legislative changes to increase oversight of the board (Yamamura, Sacramento Bee, 5/8).
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