State Acupuncture Board - Revisions
HB0374 revises Maryland’s acupuncture licensing and enforcement laws. The bill adds a statutory definition of “manual therapies” for purposes of the practice of acupuncture, describing them as pressure or manipulation techniques performed with the hands or another part of the body along points or meridians, and expressly including acupressure and similar East Asian pressure-based techniques. It also updates the licensing framework by changing the State Acupuncture Board’s renewal process so that it must make proof of renewal available rather than issuing a renewal certificate.
The bill also strengthens restrictions on unauthorized practice. It makes it unlawful to employ an individual to practice acupuncture without a license and to aid or abet the unauthorized practice of acupuncture. In addition, it revises the penalty structure so that violations of the new employment/aiding provisions carry separate criminal and civil penalties, including misdemeanor and felony treatment for repeat offenses and a civil fine assessed by the Board. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026, and applies amendments to the Health Occupations Article governing acupuncture licensure, renewal, and enforcement.
HB0374 amends Title 1A of the Health Occupations Article, affecting the State Acupuncture Board, licensed acupuncturists, employers, and anyone involved in acupuncture services. It clarifies the scope of regulated acupuncture practice by defining manual therapies and by expressly including those therapies within the practice of acupuncture when performed under East Asian medical principles. It also changes renewal administration and creates new prohibitions and penalties aimed at preventing unlicensed practice and the use of unlicensed workers in acupuncture settings.
The bill appears to have been noncontroversial and ultimately favorable, as reflected by its enactment and approval by the Governor as Chapter 233. No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no evidence in the supplied materials of organized opposition or divided sentiment. The overall legislative posture suggests a technical regulatory update rather than a highly contested policy change.
The main policy issue in the bill is the boundary between licensed acupuncture practice and related manual or pressure-based therapies, especially acupressure and other East Asian techniques. Another possible point of concern is the new prohibition on employing unlicensed individuals to practice acupuncture and the added penalties for aiding or abetting unauthorized practice, which could affect clinics, employers, and practitioners who use assistants or alternative therapy staff. The bill also tightens enforcement by creating separate criminal and civil consequences for these violations, which may raise compliance concerns for regulated entities.