Acupuncture: license requirements and title protection.
Vote required
Majority
Fiscal committee
No
Appropriation
No
Current location
Business and Professions
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Progress
Where this bill stands in the legislative process.
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Overview
This bill updates the regulations for acupuncture licenses and titles in California. It increases the required hours for acupuncture training programs to a doctoral degree level (3,300 hours, including 2,220 didactic and laboratory hours and 1,080 supervised clinical instruction). It also establishes new title protections, requiring ‘Doctor of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine’ (D.A.H.M.) and prohibiting the use of ‘Doctor’ or ‘Dr.’ without a doctoral degree or a valid license. The bill reflects a reorganization of state agencies, specifically moving the Department of Consumer Affairs to the Business and Consumer Services Agency.
Key provisions
- Increases required acupuncture training hours to 3,300, including 2,220 didactic and laboratory hours and 1,080 clinical instruction.
- Establishes the title ‘Doctor of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine’ (D.A.H.M.) and prohibits using ‘Doctor’ or ‘Dr.’ without a doctoral degree or license.
- Prohibits the use of ‘licensed acupuncturist’ or ‘LAc’ without a valid license.
- Reflects the reorganization of the Department of Consumer Affairs to the Business and Consumer Services Agency.
- Allows for waivers of educational requirements for applicants who began programs that were later denied accreditation.
- Specifies requirements for clinical internship training programs.
- Sets a date (January 1, 2032) for the implementation of these changes.
Who is affected
- Acupuncture practitioners
Bill text
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Sponsors
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1 on record
Primary sponsor
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