HB272 Alabama 2017 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Randy Davis

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2017

Title

Chiropractic Examiners, State Board of, powers and duties, rulemaking authority clarified with regard to anticompetitive rules that prioritize patient safety and wellness, Sec. 34-24-140.1 added

Summary

HB272 would clarify the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners' rulemaking power to prioritize patient safety and wellness, allowing anti-competitive rules if justified and providing antitrust immunity for those rules.

What This Bill Does

The bill adds a new section that lets the Board define and regulate chiropractic practice in a way that prioritizes patient safety and wellness, even if the rule is anti-competitive, as long as the public safety benefits are clearly demonstrated and documented. It immunizes the Board and its members from liability under state and federal antitrust laws for adopting such rules. The rules cannot conflict with existing statutory definitions of chiropractic, and the bill does not expand rights or duties beyond what existed before the NC Dental Examiners v FTC decision. It becomes effective immediately after governor approval.

Who It Affects

• State Board of Chiropractic Examiners and its members, who gain authority to adopt safety-prioritizing rules that may be anti-competitive and receive antitrust immunity for those rules.
• Chiropractors and patients in Alabama, who may be affected by new safety-focused rules governing practice and care, with potential protections for safety and wellness but possible restrictions tied to the new rules.

Key Provisions

• Adds Section 34-24-140.1 to clarify that the Board may create rules prioritizing patient safety and wellness, even if those rules are anti-competitive when clearly demonstrated to benefit public safety and wellness.
• Immunizes the Board and its members from liability under state and federal antitrust laws for adopting such rules, provided the safety and wellness benefits are clearly demonstrated and documented.
• Allows rules to define or regulate the practice to prioritize safety, so long as they do not conflict with statutory definitions of chiropractic.
• States that nothing in the act expands rights or duties beyond what existed before the NC Dental Examiners v FTC decision and takes effect immediately upon governor approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Chiropractic Examiners, State Board of