Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Oklahoma Legislature, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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2 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
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3 SENATE BILL 2044 By: Frix
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5
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6 AS INTRODUCED
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7 An Act relating to the practice of chiropractic;
7 amending 59 O.S. 2021, Sections 161.2, 161.3, 161.7,
8 161.8, 161.12, 161.16, and 161.17, which relate to
8 the Oklahoma Chiropractic Practice Act; expanding
9 educational programs; modifying grounds for
9 penalties; requiring certain application and
10 education for specified chiropractors; describing
10 certain educational program; providing for
11 codification; and providing an effective date.
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12
12
13
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14 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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15 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 59 O.S. 2021, Section 161.2, is
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16 amended to read as follows:
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17 Section 161.2. A. Chiropractic is the science and art that
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18 teaches health in anatomic relation and disease or abnormality in
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19 anatomic disrelation, and includes hygienic, sanitary and
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20 therapeutic measures incident thereto in humans. The scope of
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21 practice of chiropractic shall include those diagnostic and
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22 treatment services and procedures which have been taught by an
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23 accredited chiropractic college and have been approved by the Board
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24 of Chiropractic Examiners.
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1 B. A chiropractic physician may engage in the practice of
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2 animal chiropractic diagnosis and treatment if certified to do so by
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3 the Board. A licensed chiropractic physician may provide
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4 chiropractic treatment to an animal without being certified in
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5 animal chiropractic diagnosis and treatment by the Board if an
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6 animal has been referred to the chiropractic physician by a licensed
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7 veterinarian in writing.
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8 SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 59 O.S. 2021, Section 161.3, is
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9 amended to read as follows:
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10 Section 161.3. As used in the Oklahoma Chiropractic Practice
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11 Act, these words, phrases or terms, unless the context otherwise
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12 indicates, shall have the following meanings:
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13 1. "Accredited chiropractic college" means a chiropractic an
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14 educational institution which is accredited by an accrediting agency
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15 recognized by the U.S. Department of Education;
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16 2. "Animal chiropractic diagnosis and treatment" means
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17 treatment that includes vertebral subluxation complex (vsc) and
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18 spinal manipulation of nonhuman vertebrates. The term "animal
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19 chiropractic diagnosis and treatment" shall not be construed to
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20 allow the:
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21 a. use of x-rays,
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22 b. performing of surgery,
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23 c. dispensing or administering of medications, or
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24 d. performance of traditional veterinary care;
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1 3. "Applicant" means any person submitting an application for
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2 licensure to the Board;
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3 4. "Board" means the Board of Chiropractic Examiners;
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4 5. "Certified chiropractic assistant" means an unlicensed
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5 member of a chiropractic physician's team of healthcare workers who
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6 may assist a chiropractic physician in the performance of
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7 examination and therapeutic procedures and techniques necessary to
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8 deliver healthcare services to patients within the scope of
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9 chiropractic and has been certified by the Board;
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10 6. "Chiropractic physician", "chiropractor", "doctor of
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11 chiropractic", "practitioner of chiropractic" and "licensee" are
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12 synonymous and mean a person holding an original license to practice
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13 chiropractic in this state;
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14 7. "Examination" means the process used by the Board, prior to
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15 the issuance of an original license, to test the qualifications and
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16 knowledge of an applicant on any or all of the following: current
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17 statutes, rules or any of those subjects listed in Section 161.8 of
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18 this title;
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19 8. "Intern" means a student at an accredited chiropractic
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20 college who is participating in the Chiropractic Undergraduate
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21 Preceptorship Program;
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22 9. "Nonclinical" means of a business nature including, but not
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23 limited to, practice management, insurance information, and computer
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1 information. It shall also mean the discussion of philosophy as it
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2 relates to the performance of chiropractic;
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3 10. "Original license" means a license granting initial
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4 authorization to practice chiropractic in this state issued by the
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5 Board to an applicant found by the Board to meet the licensing
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6 requirements of the Oklahoma Chiropractic Practice Act, by
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7 examination pursuant to Section 161.7 of this title, or by
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8 relocation of practice pursuant to Section 161.9 of this title;
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9 11. "Preceptor" means a chiropractic physician who is
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10 participating in the Chiropractic Undergraduate Preceptorship
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11 Program;
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12 12. "Relocation of practice" means the recognition and approval
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13 by the Board, prior to the issuance of an original license, of the
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14 chiropractic licensing process in another state, country, territory
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15 or province; and
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16 13. "Renewal license" means a license issued to a chiropractic
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17 physician by the Board, on or before the first day of July of each
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18 year, which authorizes such licensee to practice chiropractic in
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19 this state during the succeeding calendar year.
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20 SECTION 3. AMENDATORY 59 O.S. 2021, Section 161.7, is
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21 amended to read as follows:
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22 Section 161.7. A. 1. Applications for an original license by
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23 examination to practice chiropractic in this state shall be made to
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1 the Board of Chiropractic Examiners in writing on a form and in a
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2 manner prescribed by the Board.
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3 2. The application shall be accompanied by a fee of Three
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4 Hundred Dollars ($300.00), which shall not be refundable under any
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5 circumstances.
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6 3. If the application is disapproved by the Board, the
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7 applicant shall be so notified by the Executive Director, with the
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8 reason for such disapproval fully stated in writing.
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9 4. If the application is approved, the applicant may take an
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10 examination administered by the Board for the purpose of securing an
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11 original license. The Board may accept a passing score on an
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12 examination administered by the National Board of Chiropractic
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13 Examiners taken by the applicant or may require the applicant to
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14 take an examination administered by the Board or both.
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15 5. Prior to approval of an application, the Board may authorize
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16 the Executive Director to issue a temporary license to an applicant
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17 who has submitted a completed application and who, upon payment of
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18 the examination fee, has passed the required examination with a
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19 score acceptable to the Board. A temporary license shall authorize
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20 the applicant to practice chiropractic in Oklahoma between the
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21 submission of the application and the applicant's approval for
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22 licensure by the Board. A temporary license shall expire upon the
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23 Board's approval of a permanent license or ten (10) calendar days
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1 following the Board's denial of an application for a permanent
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2 license.
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3 B. Applicants for an original license to practice chiropractic
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4 in this state shall submit to the Board of Chiropractic Examiners
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5 documentary evidence of completion of:
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6 1. A course of resident study of not less than four (4) years
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7 of nine (9) months each in an accredited chiropractic college. A
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8 senior student at an accredited chiropractic college may make
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9 application for an original license by examination prior to
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10 graduation, but such a license shall not be issued until documentary
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11 evidence of the graduation of the student from the college has been
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12 submitted to the Board;
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13 2. Parts I, II, III, IV and physiotherapy as administered by
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14 the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners with a passing score;
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15 and
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16 3. Passing a jurisprudence examination approved by the Board
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17 with a score of seventy-five percent (75%) or better.
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18 C. Each applicant shall be a graduate of an accredited
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19 chiropractic college. For those graduating from a chiropractic
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20 program outside the United States, the applicants must have
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21 completed an educational program leading to a degree in chiropractic
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22 from an institution authorized to operate by the government having
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23 jurisdiction in which it is domiciled.
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1 D. All credentials, diplomas, and other required documentation
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2 in a foreign language submitted to the Board by such applicants
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3 shall be accompanied by notarized English translations.
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4 E. International applicants shall provide satisfactory evidence
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5 of meeting the requirements for permanent residence or temporary
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6 nonimmigrant status as set forth by the United States Citizenship
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7 and Immigration Services.
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8 F. Effective January 1, 2006, out-of-state licensed applicants
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9 shall submit to the Board documentary evidence that the applicant
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10 has malpractice insurance. New applicants shall submit to the Board
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11 documentary evidence that the applicant has malpractice insurance
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12 within six (6) months of obtaining their Oklahoma license.
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13 G. An applicant for an original license shall:
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14 1. Inform the Board as to whether the person has previously
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15 been licensed in Oklahoma and whether the license was revoked or
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16 surrendered;
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17 2. Inform the Board as to whether the applicant has ever been
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18 licensed in another jurisdiction and whether any disciplinary action
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19 was taken against the applicant;
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20 3. Provide full disclosure to the Board of any criminal
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21 proceeding taken against the applicant including, but not limited
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22 to, pleading guilty or nolo contendere to, receiving a deferred
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23 sentence for, or being convicted of a felony crime that
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1 substantially relates to the practice of chiropractic and poses a
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2 reasonable threat to public safety; and
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3 4. If requested, appear before the Board for a personal
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4 interview.
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5 H. No later than one (1) year after receiving a license to
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6 practice in Oklahoma, chiropractic physicians shall complete an
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7 orientation course of training approved by the Board. The
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8 orientation course hours shall count as continuing education credits
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9 for the year in which they were earned. An association may provide
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10 the orientation course of training.
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11 I. The Board may issue an original license to those applicants
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12 who have passed the required examination with a score acceptable to
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13 the Board and who meet all other requirements set forth by the
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14 Board. No license fee shall be charged by the Board for the balance
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15 of the calendar year in which such a license is issued.
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16 J. In addition to an applicant's failure to meet any other
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17 requirements imposed by this section or other applicable law, the
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18 Board may deny a license or impose probationary conditions if an
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19 applicant has:
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20 1. Pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to, received a deferred
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21 sentence for, or been convicted of a felony crime that substantially
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22 relates to the practice of chiropractic and poses a reasonable
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23 threat to public safety;
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24 2. Been the subject of disciplinary action by the Board; or
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1 3. Been the subject of disciplinary action in another
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2 jurisdiction.
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3 K. As used in this section:
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4 1. "Substantially relates" means the nature of criminal conduct
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5 for which the person was convicted has a direct bearing on the
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6 fitness or ability to perform one or more of the duties or
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7 responsibilities necessarily related to the occupation; and
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8 2. "Poses a reasonable threat" means the nature of criminal
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9 conduct for which the person was convicted involved an act or threat
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10 of harm against another and has a bearing on the fitness or ability
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11 to serve the public or work with others in the occupation.
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12 SECTION 4. AMENDATORY 59 O.S. 2021, Section 161.8, is
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13 amended to read as follows:
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14 Section 161.8. If an examination is administered by the Board
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15 of Chiropractic Examiners, it shall include those technical,
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16 professional and practical subjects that relate to the practice of
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17 chiropractic including, but not limited to, chiropractic principles,
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18 anatomy, histology, physiology, symptomatology, orthopedia,
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19 chemistry, spinography, diagnosis, sanitation and hygiene,
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20 pathology, public health service and adjustology. The Board shall
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21 also examine each applicant in the art of chiropractic adjusting, x-
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22 ray, diagnostic laboratory procedures, physiological therapeutics
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23 and other subjects taught by accredited chiropractic colleges.
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1 SECTION 5. AMENDATORY 59 O.S. 2021, Section 161.12, is
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2 amended to read as follows:
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3 Section 161.12. A. The Board of Chiropractic Examiners is
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4 authorized, after notice and an opportunity for a hearing pursuant
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5 to Article II of the Administrative Procedures Act, to issue an
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6 order imposing one or more of the following penalties whenever the
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7 Board finds, by clear and convincing evidence, that a chiropractic
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8 physician has committed any of the acts or occurrences set forth in
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9 subsection B of this section:
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10 1. Disapproval of an application for a renewal license;
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11 2. Revocation or suspension of an original license or renewal
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12 license, or both;
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13 3. Restriction of the practice of a chiropractic physician
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14 under such terms and conditions as deemed appropriate by the Board;
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15 4. An administrative fine not to exceed One Thousand Dollars
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16 ($1,000.00) for each count or separate violation;
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17 5. A censure or reprimand;
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18 6. Placement of a chiropractic physician on probation for a
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19 period of time and under such terms and conditions as the Board may
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20 specify, including requiring the chiropractic physician to submit to
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21 treatment, to attend continuing education courses, to submit to
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22 reexamination, or to work under the supervision of another
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23 chiropractic physician; and
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1 7. The assessment of costs expended by the Board in
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2 investigating and prosecuting a violation. The costs may include,
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3 but are not limited to, staff time, salary and travel expenses,
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4 witness fees and attorney fees, and shall be considered part of the
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5 order of the Board.
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6 B. The following acts or occurrences by a chiropractic
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7 physician shall constitute grounds for which the penalties specified
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8 in subsection A of this section may be imposed by order of the
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9 Board:
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10 1. Pleading guilty or nolo contendere to, or being convicted
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11 of, a felony, a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, or a
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12 violation of federal or state controlled dangerous substances laws.
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13 A copy of the judgment and sentence of the conviction, duly
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14 certified by the clerk of the court in which the conviction was
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15 obtained, and a certificate of the clerk that the conviction has
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16 become final, shall be sufficient evidence for the imposition of a
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17 penalty;
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18 2. Being habitually drunk or habitually using habit-forming
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19 drugs;
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20 3. Using advertising in which statements are made that are
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21 fraudulent, deceitful or misleading to the public;
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22 4. Aiding or abetting any person not licensed to practice
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23 chiropractic in this state to practice chiropractic, except students
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24 who are regularly enrolled in an accredited chiropractic college;
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1 5. Performing or attempting to perform major or minor surgery
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2 in this state, or using electricity in any form for surgical
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3 purposes, including cauterization;
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4 6. Using or having in a chiropractic physician's possession any
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5 instrument for treatment purposes, the use or possession of which
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6 has been prohibited or declared unlawful by any agency of the United
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7 States or the State of Oklahoma;
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8 7. Unlawfully possessing, prescribing or administering any
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9 drug, medicine, serum or vaccine. This section shall not prevent a
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10 chiropractic physician from possessing, prescribing or
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11 administering, by a needle or otherwise, vitamins, minerals or
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12 nutritional supplements, or from practicing within the scope of the
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13 science and art of chiropractic as defined in Section 161.2 of this
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14 title;
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15 8. Advertising or displaying, directly or indirectly, any
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16 certificate, diploma or other document which conveys or implies
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17 information that the person is skilled in any healing art other than
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18 chiropractic unless the chiropractic physician also possesses a
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19 valid current license in said healing art;
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20 9. Obtaining an original license or renewal license in a
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21 fraudulent manner;
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22 10. Violating any provision of the Unfair Claims Settlement
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23 Practices Act or any rule promulgated pursuant thereto;
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1 11. Willfully aiding or assisting an insurer, as defined in
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2 Section 1250.2 of Title 36 of the Oklahoma Statutes, or an
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3 administrator, as defined in Section 1442 of Title 36 of the
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4 Oklahoma Statutes, to deny claims which under the terms of the
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5 insurance contract are covered services and are medically necessary;
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6 12. Violating any provision of the Oklahoma Chiropractic
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7 Practice Act; or
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8 13. Violating any of the rules of the Board.
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9 C. Any chiropractic physician against whom a penalty is imposed
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10 by an order of the Board under the provisions of this section shall
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11 have the right to seek a judicial review of the order pursuant to
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12 Article II of the Administrative Procedures Act.
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13 D. The Board is authorized to issue a confidential letter of
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14 concern to a chiropractic physician when, though evidence does not
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15 warrant initiation of an individual proceeding, the Board has noted
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16 indications of possible errant conduct by the chiropractic physician
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17 that could lead to serious consequences and formal action by the
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18 Board.
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19 E. If no order imposing a penalty against a chiropractic
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20 physician is issued by the Board within three (3) years after a
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21 complaint against the chiropractic physician is received by the
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22 Board, the complaint and all related documents shall be expunged
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23 from the records of the Board.
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1 SECTION 6. AMENDATORY 59 O.S. 2021, Section 161.16, is
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2 amended to read as follows:
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3 Section 161.16. A. A Chiropractic Education Scholarship
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4 Program, to be administered by the Board of Chiropractic Examiners,
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5 is hereby created. Chiropractic education scholarships may be
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6 awarded each fiscal year to persons approved by the Board for the
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7 study of chiropractic leading to the attainment of the degree of
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8 doctor of chiropractic. To be eligible to receive a scholarship a
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9 person must:
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10 1. Be a legal resident of this state for not less than five (5)
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11 years prior to the date of submitting an application to the Board;
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12 2. Meet all requirements and academic standards established by
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13 the Board;
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14 3. Attend an accredited chiropractic college; and
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15 4. Demonstrate satisfactory progress in the study of
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16 chiropractic.
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17 B. Preference in the granting of such scholarships shall be
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18 given to those individuals with the highest weighted scholastic
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19 averages, provided they are persons of high integrity and character
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20 and are found by the Board to have those qualities and attributes
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21 which give a reasonable assurance of their pursuing to completion
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22 the course of study required for a degree of doctor of chiropractic.
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23 The scholarships shall be awarded in an amount not to exceed Six
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24 Thousand Dollars ($6,000.00) each year per student. No student
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1 shall be given more than four (4) annual scholarships. The Board is
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2 authorized to accept any federal, state, county or private funds,
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3 grants or appropriations to be used to award such scholarships to
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4 qualified persons.
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5 SECTION 7. AMENDATORY 59 O.S. 2021, Section 161.17, is
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6 amended to read as follows:
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7 Section 161.17. A Chiropractic Undergraduate Preceptorship
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8 Program, in conjunction with accredited chiropractic colleges, shall
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9 be established by the Board of Chiropractic Examiners, who may
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10 appoint five (5) chiropractic physicians to administer the program.
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11 Each intern in the program shall pay a nonrefundable fee of
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12 Thirty-five Dollars ($35.00) to the Board each trimester the intern
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13 participates in the program.
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14 The Board shall by rule establish standards, qualifications and
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15 responsibilities for interns, preceptors and accredited chiropractic
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16 colleges participating in the program.
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17 SECTION 8. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
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18 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 161.21 of Title 59, unless there
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19 is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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20 Any chiropractic physician who desires to administer vitamins,
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21 minerals, or nutritional supplements by means of injectable
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22 procedures shall make application, on a form prescribed by the Board
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23 of Chiropractic Examiners, for authorization for such purpose.
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24 Every chiropractic physician shall submit to the Board documentary
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Req. No. 3240 Page 15
1 evidence of satisfactory completion of at least one hundred twenty
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2 (120) hours of education and training in administration and use of
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3 such injectables. Such education and training shall be obtained at
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4 an educational program that has been approved by the Board and meets
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5 the following criteria:
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6 1. Is conducted under the auspices of and taught by the
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7 postgraduate faculty of an accredited college;
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8 2. Consists of a minimum of one hundred twenty (120) hours;
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9 3. Requires completion of a certification examination given by
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10 a board independent of the entity which taught the course; and
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11 4. Meets such other criteria as the Board of Chiropractic
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12 Examiners deems appropriate.
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13 SECTION 9. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026.
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Req. No. 3240 Page 16Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.