Most Ambitious Chiropractic Legislative Agenda In Years Passes Both Chambers!

The ICS is proud to have initiated an ambitious and aggressive legislative agenda on behalf of the chiropractic profession. Perhaps the most important and ambitious ICS initiative this year, Senate Bill 318 (Silverstein/Saviano), amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987 to codify the authority of physicians to delegate duties to licensed and unlicensed staff. The ICS is proud to report that this legislation has now been passed by both houses and is now headed to Governor Quinn’s desk for final approval. As explained in this space previously, the ICS faced consistent opposition from the American Massage Therapy Association – Illinois Chapter (“AMTA-IL”) regarding this legislation.

We are happy to report that the AMTA-IL removed the opposition to Senate Bill 318 with the adoption of a new amendment in the Illinois House Committee on Executive. The floor vote was not unanimous in the House for SB 318, however, the Illinois Senate concurred with the House amendment 57-0-0 and therefore passed the measure to the Office of the Governor. The ICS will now focus its energy on receiving the approval of Governor Quinn on these ambitious ICS legislative priorities. 

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In addition to the ICS’ delegation legislation, we are also proud to have initiated, advanced and passed the following proposals on behalf of the Illinois chiropractic profession:

• House Bill 68 (Lyons/Silverstein) will authorize chiropractic physicians to treat patients in an Assisted Living facility. Currently only M.D.’s and D.O.’s are exempted from the Assisted Living Act for such a purpose and House Bill 68 will provide chiropractic physicians with the same opportunity.
• House Bill 645 (Burke/Martinez) amends the School Code to re-establish that a chiropractic physician may issue certain certificates concerning a teacher or student’s sick leave. Currently, physicians “licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches,” which include only medical and osteopathic physicians, are enabled to issue certificates or “notes” to excuse and return teachers and students to and from school duties. In addition, the Illinois School Code currently allows school boards to accept such documentation from advanced practice nurses collaborating with a physician, a physician’s assistant delegated the authority by a supervising physician, or if treatment is by prayer or spiritual means, a note from a spiritual adviser or practitioner is also accepted.
• Finally, the ICS also initiated House Bill 1292 (Saviano/Martinez) which provides for a chiropractic physician to be appointed to the Illinois State Board of Health. Please feel free to visit www.ilga.gov for up to the minute updates on this legislation or don’t hesitate to contact the ICS Department of Governmental Relations with any questions!