Senate Bill 210 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Matt WoodsSenator

Republican

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Chiropractic board; board service and licensure qualifications revised

Summary

SB210 revises Alabama's State Board of Chiropractic Examiners’ board composition, licensure qualifications, and enforcement powers.

What This Bill Does

It changes who sits on the Chiropractic Examiners Board (nine members: eight licensed chiropractors, seven elected from congressional districts, one at-large African-American member, plus a Governor-appointed public consumer member). It updates licensure requirements to include fingerprints and criminal background checks, specific education/degrees, and new fee rules, with an effective date of October 1, 2026. It expands the board’s enforcement tools (investigators, subpoenas) and sets new election and vacancy procedures, along with an annual directory of licensees and permit holders.

Who It Affects

• Active licensed chiropractors in Alabama who may qualify for board seats and must meet new residency, practice, and license renewal rules.
• Chiropractors seeking licensure who must meet updated education, degree, background-check, and fee requirements.
• Public/consumers in Alabama who gain a governor-appointed consumer member on the board and benefit from diverse representation.
• Applicants for licensure who face fingerprinting, background checks, and associated costs, plus new documentation and character requirements.

Key Provisions

• Board composition: nine members (eight chiropractors; seven elected from districts; one at-large African-American); one consumer member appointed by the Governor with restrictions.
• Candidate qualifications for board seats: five-year Alabama residency, graduation from chartered chiropractic school, current practice in Alabama for five years, active license renewal by election year, good character, and no probation.
• Election process: annual August notices; independent agency conducts elections; 20-40 day qualifying period; ballots sent to licensed chiropractors; majority wins; runoffs if no majority; terms and vacancies handled per the law; board to reflect diversity.
• Powers and administration: board may hire investigators, attorneys, and other staff; may issue subpoenas and compel testimony; executive director (may be licensed to practice) administers board policies; annual directory of licensees and permit holders.
• Licensure requirements (34-24-160): fingerprints from applicants; background checks through ABI/FBI; costs borne by applicant; information kept confidential except to support license denial; citizenship/legal presence requirements; graduation from accredited school; bachelor’s degree required for grads after Jan 1, 2010 (or an advanced degree plus a national test); handwritten notarized application with educational history and practice evidence; good character documentation; license/application fees between $50 and $150, plus similar-range fee for subsequent examinations.
• Effective date: October 1, 2026.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano-2025-08-07 on Mar 18, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Occupational Licensing Boards