View the January, 2014 article concerning the six unlicensed states:
http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/at/article.php?id=32835
During the 2014 session, SB384, which was introduced by Senator Allen after being redrafted by Alabama’s Legislative Reference Service with direct and verbatim ‘concerns’ from the Medical Association of the State of Alabama. Upon request, prior to the re-drafting, MASA chose not to offer amendments for language changes. http://www.masalink.org/.
We were made aware via lobbyist that other health care professionals such as the massage therapists and chiropractors also had concerns. We have made it clear to their representative that this bill is not intended to regulated other professions. We have asked their lobbyist to provide specific language or amendments on their behalf. Our bill has not moved forward this session. AOMA was informed by the Senate Health Chair, Greg Reed, that the 3 member health senate committee members (Beasley, Fielding and Smith) did not review the legislation over the 2013 interim as assigned. Our follow up letter from Feb 4th meeting is posted here.
Letters of Support:
National Certification Commission of Acupunture and Oriental Medicine
NCCAOM Ltr to Alabama re AOM Regulation 7-2012-1
American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
AAAOM Alabama letter-FINAL-040113
South Carolina Oriental Medicine Association
Indiana Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
Illinois Association of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine
The Maryland Acupuncture Society, Inc
Mississippi Oriental Medicine Association
Wisconsin Society of Certified Acupuncturists
Wisconsin Society of Certified Acupuncturists-1
Connecticut Society of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine
New Mexico Society for Acupuncture and Asian Medicine
Utah Association For Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine
Acupuncture Society of Virginia
Oregon Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
Oregon_Acupuncture_licensure_Alabama_2_3-28-13
New Jersey Association of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine
Alabama Letter of Support 3-28-13-1
Vermont Acupuncture Association
North Carolina Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
nccaom alabama letter pdf daer rev1r
California State Oriental Medicine Association
The Acupuncture Society of the District of Columbia
Acupuncture Association of Colorado
Alabama Letter of Support 2013
Academy for Five Element Acupuncture
Past Legislative Attempts:
During the 2013 legislative session SB452 was assigned to the Senate Health Committee. During the interim, the bill was assigned to a committee composed of three senators from the health committee to review the proposed legislation. HB541 was assigned to Boards, Agencies and Commissions Committee but did not make it out of committee during the 2013 session. We hope to re-introduce the Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine bill in both houses in the next legislative session.
A bill to regulate the practice of acupuncture in Alabama in the House of Representatives was introduced during the 2013 legislative session as HB541 with bi-partisan sponsorship from sponsor Chris England (D – Tuscaloosa) and Steven McMilian (R – Baldwin). It was assigned to Boards, Agencies and Commissions Committee. A public hearing was called during the committee meeting on Wednesday April 10th due to concerns from the Alabama Medical Association as well as the Alabama State Chiropractic Association. The bill is currently being amended and should be introduced again in January. Support AOMA’s effort to ensure access to safe, effective acupuncture treatment throughout Alabama by contacting state legislators and joining our organization as a community or professional member. Click here to donate or join.
Members of Boards, Agencies and Commissions Committee include
Chair: Howard Sanderford; Vice Chair: Bill Roberts Ranking Minority Member: Thomas Jackson.
Committee Clerk: Linda Gamper
(334) 353-1885
Committee members: Mack Butler, Mac Buttram, Allen Farley, Todd Greeson, Joe Hubbard, A.J. McCampbell, Darrio Melton, Joseph Mitchell, Jack Williams, David Sessions
Please copy and paste their emails (below) into a letter of support
SB452 was introduced April 16th, 2013 by Senator Gerald Allen. It has been assigned to the Senate Health Committee. The bill was assigned an Interim Health Committee composed of 3 senators* from the standing committee on health. They will hear the concerns of involved parties then report back to the Senate Health Committee in the upcoming 2014 legislative session. Concerns were presented by the Alabama Medical Association.
Chair Greg Reed greg.reed@alsenate.gov
Vice Chair
Committee members:
Paul Bussman
Billy Beasley*
Slade Blackwell
Linda Coleman
Gerald Dial
Harri Anne Smith*
Cam Ward
J.T. ‘Jabo’ Waggoner
Tom Whatley
Jerry Fielding*
Copy and paste the emails below into a letter of support:
p_bussman@bellsouth.net
sb@sladeblackwell.com
linda.coleman@alsenate.gov
HAS@harrianne.com
camjulward@aol.com
jabo.waggoner@alsenate.gov
tom.whatley@alsenate.gov
Clicking on the newsletter link below will generate a form letter to both of the Health Committee Chairs (very simple and very quick; make sure you click submit at the bottom of the form):
http://www.mynewsletterbuilder.com/email/newsletter/1411683229
Also consider finding your legislator by zip code, then send a letter requesting their support of legislation to regulate the practice of acupuncture in Alabama. Consider using this letter [PDF] as a starting place for communicating with your legislators. Encourage others to contact their legislators as well.
SB508 was introduced into Senate Health Committee in the 2012 legislative session. Unfortunately, it failed due to opposition from the executive director of the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners. On August 15th, 2012 the AMBE board members, upon the suggestion of their credential committee, voted NOT to oppose legislation for the creation of an independent acupuncture board. We are currently seeking bipartisan co-sponsorship for our bill in the Senate.
Legislation in 1989/90 to introduce an acupuncture act was unsuccessful due to Chiropractic opposition. The following is the specialty certification for acupuncture added by Chiropractic board rule in 1990: