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1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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2 1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
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3 SENATE BILL 667 By: Coleman
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4
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5
5
6 AS INTRODUCED
6
7 An Act relating to chiropractors; amending 59 O.S.
7 2021, Sections 161.2, 161.3, 161.7, 161.8, and 161.9,
8 which relate to the Oklahoma Chiropractic Practice
8 Act; modifying definitions; requiring use of
9 licensure portals; modifying certain licensing
9 requirements; modifying requirements for notification
10 of disapproval; updating statutory language;
10 repealing 59 O.S. 2021, Section 161.12a, which
11 relates to registration as chiropractic claims
11 consultant; and providing an effective date.
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12
13
13
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 a chiropractic college program accredited by the Council
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1 on Chiropractic Education and have been approved by the Board of
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2 Chiropractic Examiners.
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3 B. A chiropractic physician may engage in the practice of
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4 animal chiropractic diagnosis and treatment if certified to do so by
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5 the Board. A licensed chiropractic physician may provide
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6 chiropractic treatment to an animal without being certified in
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7 animal chiropractic diagnosis and treatment by the Board if an
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8 animal has been referred to the chiropractic physician by a licensed
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9 veterinarian in writing.
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10 SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 59 O.S. 2021, Section 161.3, is
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11 amended to read as follows:
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12 Section 161.3. As used in the Oklahoma Chiropractic Practice
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13 Act, these words, phrases or terms, unless the context otherwise
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14 indicates, shall have the following meanings:
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15 1. "Accredited chiropractic college program" means a
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16 chiropractic educational institution degree program which is
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17 accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S.
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18 Department of Education;
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19 2. "Animal chiropractic diagnosis and treatment" means
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20 treatment that includes vertebral subluxation complex (vsc) and
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21 spinal manipulation of nonhuman vertebrates. The term "animal
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22 animal chiropractic diagnosis and treatment" treatment shall not be
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23 construed to allow the:
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24 a. use of x-rays,
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Req. No. 658 Page 2
1 b. performing of surgery,
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2 c. dispensing or administering of medications, or
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3 d. performance of traditional veterinary care;
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4 3. "Applicant" means any person submitting an application for
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5 licensure to the Board;
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6 4. "Board" means the Board of Chiropractic Examiners;
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7 5. "Certified chiropractic assistant" means an unlicensed
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8 member of a chiropractic physician's team of healthcare workers who
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9 may assist a chiropractic physician in the performance of
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10 examination and therapeutic procedures and techniques necessary to
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11 deliver healthcare services to patients within the scope of
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12 chiropractic and has been certified by the Board;
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13 6. "Chiropractic physician", "chiropractor", "doctor of
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14 chiropractic", "practitioner of chiropractic" and "licensee" are
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15 synonymous and mean a person holding an original license to practice
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16 chiropractic in this state;
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17 7. "Examination" means the process used by the Board, prior to
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18 the issuance of an original license, to test the qualifications and
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19 knowledge of an applicant on any or all of the following: current
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20 statutes, rules or any of those subjects listed in Section 161.8 of
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21 this title;
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22 8. "Intern" means a student at an accredited chiropractic
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23 college program who is participating in the Chiropractic
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24 Undergraduate Preceptorship Program;
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1 9. "Nonclinical" means of a business nature including, but not
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2 limited to, practice management, insurance information, and computer
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3 information. It shall also mean the discussion of philosophy as it
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4 relates to the performance of chiropractic;
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5 10. "Original license" means a license granting initial
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6 authorization to practice chiropractic in this state issued by the
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7 Board to an applicant found by the Board to meet the licensing
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8 requirements of the Oklahoma Chiropractic Practice Act, by
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9 examination pursuant to Section 161.7 of this title, or by
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10 relocation of practice pursuant to Section 161.9 of this title;
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11 11. "Preceptor" means a chiropractic physician who is
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12 participating in the Chiropractic Undergraduate Preceptorship
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13 Program;
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14 12. "Relocation of practice" means the recognition and approval
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15 by the Board, prior to the issuance of an original license, of the
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16 chiropractic licensing process in another state, country, territory
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17 or province; and
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18 13. "Renewal license" means a license issued to a chiropractic
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19 physician by the Board, on or before the first day of July of each
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20 year, which authorizes such licensee to practice chiropractic in
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21 this state during the succeeding calendar year.
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22 SECTION 3. AMENDATORY 59 O.S. 2021, Section 161.7, is
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23 amended to read as follows:
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1 Section 161.7. A. 1. Applications for an original license by
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2 examination to practice chiropractic in this state shall be made to
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3 the Board of Chiropractic Examiners in writing on a form and in a
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4 manner prescribed by the Board through the online licensure portal.
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5 2. The application shall be accompanied by a fee of Three
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6 Hundred Dollars ($300.00), which shall not be refundable under any
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7 circumstances.
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8 3. If the application is disapproved by the Board, the
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9 applicant shall be so notified by the Executive Director of the
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10 Board of Chiropractic Examiners, with the reason for such
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11 disapproval fully stated in writing.
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12 4. If the application is approved, the applicant may take an
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13 examination administered by the Board for the purpose of securing an
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14 original license. The Board may accept a passing score on an
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15 examination administered by the National Board of Chiropractic
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16 Examiners taken by the applicant or may require the applicant to
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17 take an examination administered by the Board or both.
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18 5. Prior to approval of an application, the Board may authorize
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19 the Executive Director of the Board of Chiropractic Examiners to
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20 issue a temporary license to an applicant who has submitted a
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21 completed application and who, upon payment of the examination fee,
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22 has passed the required examination with a score acceptable to the
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23 Board. A temporary license shall authorize the applicant to
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24 practice chiropractic in Oklahoma between the submission of the
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Req. No. 658 Page 5
1 application and the applicant's approval for licensure by the Board.
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2 A temporary license shall expire upon the Board's approval of a
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3 permanent license or ten (10) calendar days following the Board's
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4 denial of an application for a permanent license.
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5 B. Applicants for an original license to practice chiropractic
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6 in this state shall submit to the Board of Chiropractic Examiners
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7 documentary evidence of completion of:
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8 1. A course of resident study of not less than four (4) years
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9 of nine (9) months each in an accredited chiropractic college A
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10 valid degree of Doctor of Chiropractic from a program accredited by
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11 the Council on Chiropractic Education. A senior student at an
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12 accredited chiropractic college program may make application for an
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13 original license by examination prior to graduation, but such a
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14 license shall not be issued until documentary evidence of the
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15 graduation of the student from the college program has been
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16 submitted to the Board;
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17 2. Parts I, II, III, IV and physiotherapy as administered by
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18 the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners with a passing score;
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19 and
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20 3. Passing a jurisprudence examination approved by the Board
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21 with a score of seventy-five percent (75%) or better.
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22 C. Each applicant shall be a graduate of an accredited
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23 chiropractic college program. For those graduating from a
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24 chiropractic program outside the United States, the applicants must
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1 have completed an educational program leading to a degree in
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2 chiropractic from an institution authorized to operate by the
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3 government having jurisdiction in which it is domiciled.
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4 D. All credentials, diplomas, and other required documentation
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5 in a foreign language submitted to the Board by such applicants
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6 shall be accompanied by notarized English translations.
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7 E. International applicants shall provide satisfactory evidence
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8 of meeting the requirements for permanent residence or temporary
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9 nonimmigrant status as set forth by the United States Citizenship
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10 and Immigration Services.
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11 F. Effective January 1, 2006, out-of-state licensed applicants
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12 shall submit to the Board documentary evidence that the applicant
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13 has malpractice insurance. New applicants shall submit to the Board
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14 documentary evidence that the applicant has malpractice insurance
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15 within six (6) months of obtaining their his or her Oklahoma
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16 license.
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17 G. An applicant for an original license shall:
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18 1. Inform the Board as to whether the person has previously
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19 been licensed in Oklahoma and whether the license was revoked or
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20 surrendered;
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21 2. Inform the Board as to whether the applicant has ever been
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22 licensed in another jurisdiction and whether any disciplinary action
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23 was taken against the applicant;
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1 3. Provide full disclosure to the Board of any criminal
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2 proceeding taken against the applicant including, but not limited
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3 to, pleading guilty or nolo contendere to, receiving a deferred
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4 sentence for, or being convicted of a felony crime that
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5 substantially relates to the practice of chiropractic and poses a
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6 reasonable threat to public safety; and
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7 4. If requested, appear before the Board for a personal
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8 interview.
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9 H. No later than one (1) year after receiving a license to
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10 practice in Oklahoma, chiropractic physicians shall complete an
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11 orientation course of training approved by the Board. The
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12 orientation course hours shall count as continuing education credits
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13 for the year in which they were earned. An association may provide
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14 the orientation course of training.
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15 I. The Board may issue an original license to those applicants
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16 who have passed the required examination with a score acceptable to
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17 the Board and who meet all other requirements set forth by the
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18 Board. No license fee shall be charged by the Board for the balance
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19 of the calendar year in which such a license is issued.
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20 J. In addition to an applicant's failure to meet any other
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21 requirements imposed by this section or other applicable law, the
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22 Board may deny a license or impose probationary conditions if an
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23 applicant has:
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1 1. Pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to, received a deferred
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2 sentence for, or been convicted of a felony crime that substantially
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3 relates to the practice of chiropractic and poses a reasonable
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4 threat to public safety;
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5 2. Been the subject of disciplinary action by the Board; or
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6 3. Been the subject of disciplinary action in another
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7 jurisdiction.
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8 K. As used in this section:
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9 1. "Substantially relates" means the nature of criminal conduct
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10 for which the person was convicted has a direct bearing on the
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11 fitness or ability to perform one or more of the duties or
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12 responsibilities necessarily related to the occupation; and
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13 2. "Poses a reasonable threat" means the nature of criminal
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14 conduct for which the person was convicted involved an act or threat
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15 of harm against another and has a bearing on the fitness or ability
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16 to serve the public or work with others in the occupation.
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17 SECTION 4. AMENDATORY 59 O.S. 2021, Section 161.8, is
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18 amended to read as follows:
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19 Section 161.8. If an examination is administered by the Board
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20 of Chiropractic Examiners, it shall include those technical,
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21 professional and practical subjects that relate to the practice of
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22 chiropractic including, but not limited to, chiropractic principles,
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23 anatomy, histology, physiology, symptomatology, orthopedia,
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24 chemistry, spinography, diagnosis, sanitation and hygiene,
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Req. No. 658 Page 9
1 pathology, public health service and adjustology. The Board shall
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2 also examine each applicant in the art of chiropractic adjusting, x-
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3 ray, diagnostic laboratory procedures, physiological therapeutics
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4 and other subjects taught by accredited chiropractic colleges
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5 programs.
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6 SECTION 5. AMENDATORY 59 O.S. 2021, Section 161.9, is
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7 amended to read as follows:
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8 Section 161.9. A. Applications for an original license by
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9 relocation of practice to practice chiropractic in this state shall
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10 be made to the Board of Chiropractic Examiners in writing on a form
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11 and in a manner prescribed by the Board through the online licensure
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12 portal. The application shall be accompanied by a fee of Three
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13 Hundred Dollars ($300.00), which shall not be refundable under any
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14 circumstances. If the application is disapproved by the Board, it
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15 shall be returned to the applicant shall be notified by the
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16 Executive Director of the Board of Chiropractic Examiners, with the
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17 reason for its disapproval fully stated in writing.
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18 B. The Board may, in its discretion, issue an original license
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19 by relocation to practice to an applicant who is currently licensed
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20 to practice chiropractic in another state, country, territory or
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21 province, upon the following conditions:
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22 1. That the applicant is of good moral character;
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23 2. That the requirements for licensure in the state, country,
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24 territory or province in which the applicant is licensed are deemed
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Req. No. 658 Page 10
1 by the Board to be equivalent to the requirements for obtaining an
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2 original license by examination in force in this state at the date
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3 of such license;
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4 3. That the applicant has no disciplinary matters pending
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5 against him or her in any state, country, territory or province;
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6 4. That the license of the applicant was obtained by
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7 examination in the state, country, territory or province wherein it
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8 was issued, or was obtained by examination of the National Board of
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9 Chiropractic Examiners;
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10 5. That the applicant passes a jurisprudence examination given
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11 by the Board or the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners with a
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12 minimum score of seventy-five percent (75%) or better; and
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13 6. That the applicant meets all other requirements of the
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14 Oklahoma Chiropractic Practice Act.
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15 C. Any applicant requesting a license by relocation of practice
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16 into Oklahoma shall:
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17 1. Submit to the Board documentary evidence that the applicant
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18 has been in active practice as a chiropractic physician three (3)
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19 years immediately preceding the date of the application;
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20 2. Provide full disclosure to the Board of any disciplinary
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21 action taken against the applicant pursuant to licensure as a
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22 chiropractic physician in any state pursuant to licensure and/or
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23 criminal proceedings;
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1 3. Provide full disclosure to the Board of any criminal
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2 proceeding taken against the applicant in any jurisdiction
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3 including, but not limited to:
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4 a. pleading guilty, pleading nolo contendere, receiving a
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5 deferred sentence or being convicted of a felony,
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6 b. pleading guilty, pleading nolo contendere, receiving a
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7 deferred sentence or being convicted of a misdemeanor
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8 involving moral turpitude, or
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9 c. pleading guilty, pleading nolo contendere, receiving a
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10 deferred sentence or being convicted of a violation of
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11 federal or state controlled dangerous substance laws;
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12 4. If requested, appear before the Board for a personal
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13 interview; and
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14 5. Pay an application fee to be set by rule of the Board.
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15 D. The Board may authorize the Executive Director of the Board
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16 of Chiropractic Examiners to issue a temporary license to an
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17 applicant who has submitted a completed application and has passed
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18 the required examination with a score acceptable to the Board. A
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19 temporary license shall authorize the applicant to practice
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20 chiropractic in Oklahoma between the submission of the application
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21 and the applicant's approval for licensure by the Board. A
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22 temporary license shall expire upon the Board's approval of a
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23 permanent license or ten (10) calendar days following the Board's
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24 denial of an application for a permanent license.
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1 E. No license fee shall be charged by the Board for the balance
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2 of the calendar year in which such a license is issued.
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3 F. In addition to an applicant's failure to meet any other
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4 requirements imposed by this section or other applicable law, the
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5 Board may deny a license or impose probationary conditions if an
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6 applicant has:
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7 1. Pleaded guilty, pleaded nolo contendere, received a deferred
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8 sentence or been convicted of a felony;
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9 2. Pleaded guilty, pleaded nolo contendere, received a deferred
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10 sentence or been convicted of a misdemeanor involving moral
10
11 turpitude;
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12 3. Pleaded guilty, pleaded nolo contendere, received a deferred
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13 sentence or been convicted of a violation of federal or state
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14 controlled dangerous substance laws;
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15 4. Been the subject of disciplinary action by the Board; or
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16 5. Been the subject of disciplinary action in another
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17 jurisdiction.
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18 SECTION 6. REPEALER 59 O.S. 2021, Section 161.12a, is
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19 hereby repealed.
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20 SECTION 7. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025.
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22 60-1-658 CAD 1/19/2025 5:41:00 AM
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Req. No. 658 Page 13Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.