RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- LICENSE OF NATUROPATHY ACT, OF 2017
Summary
H7425 amends Rhode Island’s License of Naturopathy Act of 2017 primarily to update terminology throughout the chapter, replacing references to “doctor of naturopathy” with “naturopathic doctor” and aligning related defined terms, titles, and licensing language. The bill also makes conforming edits to the chapter’s scope of practice, licensure, disciplinary, and disclosure provisions so the statutory language is consistent with the new professional title.
Substantively, the bill continues to regulate naturopathic practice as a licensed health profession under the Department of Health, with a board of licensure, education and examination requirements, biennial renewal, continuing education, and rules governing unprofessional conduct and discipline. It preserves the existing limits on practice, including prohibitions on prescribing legend drugs or controlled substances, performing surgery, using unapproved devices, and representing oneself as other licensed health professionals. It also retains the requirement that patients receive written informed consent stating that naturopathic care is adjunctive and not a substitute for primary or specialty medical care.
Impact
The bill’s main legal effect is a statewide statutory cleanup and terminology update within chapter 5-36.1, without expanding the core scope of naturopathic practice or changing the profession’s regulatory structure. It affects licensed naturopathic practitioners, applicants, the Department of Health, and the board of licensure by standardizing the title used in licensing, enforcement, and patient disclosure provisions. The bill also preserves the existing collaboration, referral, and disclosure requirements that limit naturopathic practice in relation to physicians and other licensed providers.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears largely noncontroversial and administrative in nature. The caption and explanation describe it as a naming change, and there is no recorded committee testimony or voting history indicating opposition or debate. The overall tone suggests routine support for clarifying and modernizing professional terminology rather than altering policy direction.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the available materials. If any concerns were to arise, they would likely center on the broader naturopathy framework already embedded in the chapter—especially the profession’s limited scope, the required physician collaboration agreement, and the explicit disclaimer that naturopathic doctors are not primary-care providers. However, the bill itself does not appear to reopen those policy questions and instead leaves those restrictions intact.
Standardizes successor appointment language for various boards and adds language providing that a quorum be a majority of appointed members and the language applies across several healthcare professional boards that currently lack this language.
Standardizes successor appointment language for various boards and adds language providing that a quorum be a majority of appointed members and the language applies across several healthcare professional boards that currently lack this language.
Grants the director of the department of health the authority to approve or deny any applications for professional licensure pending before certain boards of licensure that have been unable to establish a quorum for 30 business days.
Grants the director of the department of health the authority to approve or deny any applications for professional licensure pending before certain boards of licensure that have been unable to establish a quorum for 30 business days.
Allows for the enactment of the dietitian licensure compact permitting a licensed dietitian from another state to become licensed within the state, and also permitting a dietitian licensed by the state to become licensed in another compact state.
Allows for the enactment of the dietitian licensure compact permitting a licensed dietitian from another state to become licensed within the state, and also permitting a dietitian licensed by the state to become licensed in another compact state.
Includes licensed school psychologists under the provisions of the general laws governing the regulations of psychologists and expands the licensing of school psychologists for independent practice.
Requires certified athletic trainers to be trained in the administration of epinephrine auto-injectors (epi-pens) and would require such professionals to be equipped with the medication while performing professional activities.
To Create The Naturopathic Physician Practice Act; To Provide For Licensure Of Naturopathic Physicians In Arkansas; And To Create The Arkansas State Board Of Natural Medicine.