ASSEMBLY REGULATED PROFESSIONS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 1194

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MARCH 5, 2020

     The Assembly Regulated Professions Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 1194.

     This bill requires the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners to issue a temporary travel license to any person who has been examined and licensed to practice chiropractic by the examining and licensing board of another state or jurisdiction of the United States having requirements for examination and licensure substantially equivalent to those required under section 8 of P.L.1953, c.233 (C.45:9-41.5). The temporary travel license must be issued without further examination upon application and payment of a license fee, as determined by the board, and will allow the traveling chiropractor to visit, examine, treat, or advise a specific patient or client, or give a demonstration of a procedure or clinic, in this State, provided that the care, consultation, demonstration, clinic, or other services are within the scope of practice of chiropractic as defined in R.S.45:9-14.5. 

     Under the bill, the board will issue a temporary travel license to a visiting chiropractor who:

     (1)   is in good standing and possesses an unencumbered license in each state or jurisdiction in which the visiting chiropractor is licensed;

     (2)   applies to the board for the temporary travel license no less than 60 days prior to a visit in this State;

     (3)   provides to the board the following information: the purpose of the visit and whether the visit is for voluntary services or for a fee; the anticipated duration of the visit; and the chiropractic license numbers in each state or jurisdiction in which the visiting chiropractor is licensed; and

     (4)   provides to the board an affidavit that the visiting chiropractor is in good standing in each state or jurisdiction in which the visiting chiropractor is licensed.

     The bill also provides that, unless otherwise determined by the board on an individual basis, the temporary travel license will permit a visiting chiropractor to practice chiropractic in this State for not more than 14 days during any calendar year.

     The board may terminate the temporary travel license of any visiting chiropractor at any time for any of the following reasons:

     (1)   the visiting chiropractor failed to materially comply with or violated a provision of the laws, rules or regulations governing the practice of chiropractic;

     (2)   the visiting chiropractor committed an act that would constitute grounds for discipline if committed by a person fully licensed by the board in this State; or

     (3)   the board receives and validates a complaint indicating that the temporary licensee is unfit to practice chiropractic or has otherwise endangered the health and safety of the general public.

      Under the bill, if the board terminates the temporary travel license of a visiting chiropractor, then the board must provide written notification of the termination to the visiting chiropractor detailing the basis for the termination.  Upon receiving written notification of the termination, the visiting chiropractor must immediately cease the practice of chiropractic in this State.  Finally, the bill requires the board to provide a copy of the written notification of the termination to the examining or licensing board of each state or jurisdiction in which the visiting chiropractor is licensed.

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2020-2021 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.