Chiropractic Racks Up Major Wins in Texas
UPDATE TEXAS
Chiropractic Prevails in Texas 85th Legislative Session is Huge Success
William E. Morgan
DC, President Parker University
Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s signature on several bills has put an end to a number of legislative attacks on chiropractic during the just concluded 85th legislative session, setting into law many profound victories for the profession. The medical lobby launched its most aggressive attack yet on the profession it clearly views as a threatening competitor, pushing several anti-chiropractic agenda items and seeking to wrest away control of the profession’s oversight. Thankfully none of those efforts came to fruition. For the foreseeable future, Texas chiropractors will be able to practice as usual, and their patients will be able to receive the same treatments that have brought tremendous relief to them.
Multiple factors made victory in this legislative session critical. First, the Texas legislature is only in session for five months every other year. Thus any setbacks would have taken a minimum of two years to undo, assuming they could be reversed at all. Second, the Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners (TBCE) must, under state law, come up for review every twelve years by the Sunset Commission, and this was that year. This 85th legislative session would have consequences
“The Texas medical lobby is out of step with most of the country, indeed, most of the world J J
for a generation, as foes of chiropractic were lobbying to do away with the commission and transfer its authority over to the medical profession. That threat has been defeated until 2029, when the TBCE comes up for review under the Sunset Commission again.
The Texas medical lobby is out of step with most of the country, indeed, most of the world, when it comes to recognizing the value of chiropractic integration and collaboration with mainstream healthcare. It remains determined to revert back to a bygone era when medical doctors dominated all aspects of healthcare, even those areas beyond their expertise. During this legislative session, they attempted to attack the fundamental rights of chiropractors in each of these areas:
1. The right to diagnose
2. The right to evaluate, diagnose, and treat neurological conditions
3. The right to join in business agreements with medical doctors, osteopaths, and podiatrists
4. The preservation of an autonomous state board of chiropractic examiners.
Fortunately, the Texas state legislators sided overwhelmingly with the chiropractic profession by passing bills preserving these rights. As each of these bills came out of committee, the opposition faded away. I was encouraged to see that as it became obvious just how discriminatory the medical opposition was to the chiropractic profession, even those legislators who had originally opposed the profession in committee were not willing to vote against us later during regular session. Consequently, the conflict resolved in our favor.
Please take a moment to understand how these important victories were achieved. It took leadership that was able to adapt, be innovative, and adhere to a plan of action with discipline. Several groups joined forces, including the Texas Chiropractic Association, Parker University, Texas Chiropractic College, and many other organizations and individuals who each recognized that we faced the greatest threat ever to the practice of chiropractic in Texas. We kicked off our efforts on January 20, 2017, at a summit hosted by Parker University,
“In spite of these victories, now is no time to get complacent. JJ
where a strategic “war council” brought together leaders from the profession. Immediately we set about executing our plans to increase awareness, raise funds, and defeat the assault on our profession.
I would personally like to thank the following for their leadership and hard work: the Parker Board of Trustees; Tyce Hergert, President of the TCA; JeffS. Jenkins, Executive Director of the TCA; and our “young guns” Joshua Massingill and Kaden Norton, both lobbyists for the TCA. There are many others, too numerous to name, who have worked hard and donated much. Thank you to everyone who played a part in attaining our victory in Texas.
Finally, I would like to recognize Texas Senator Van Taylor. He was truly our champion, rising to support our cause because it was the right thing to do. Senator Taylor authored Senate Bill 304, the bill which ensures that Texas chiropractors will be regulated by their own autonomous board of examiners (versus being lumped together with multiple healthcare professions) and clarifies our right to diagnose.
In spite of these victories, now is no time to get complacent. While diagnosis is now rightfully preserved and clarified in the law, there is still a lawsuit underway against the Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners, brought by the Texas Medical Association to challenge the right of chiropractors to evaluate and treat neurological conditions (including subluxations). Though the legislative battle is won for now, the courtroom battle continues. I encourage those who would like to help support the ongoing court battle to donate to the Chiropractic Development Initiative (CDI) at www.chirotexas.org/CDI.
As soon as the 85th Texas legislative session was gaveled to a close, the battle for preserving chiropractic in the 86th session began. We will be ready. We will build on this year’s successes and remain steadfast in our efforts to protect and defend the practice of chiropractic to the benefit of everyone in Texas.
“The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance. ”
— John Philpot Curran
Dr. William E. Morgan, is the president of Parker University. He previously served as the White House chiropractor (2007-2016) and as the chiropractor to the United States Congress and Supreme Court (2000-2016). He was credentialedatBethesda Naval and Walter Reed military hospitals. He was also the team chiropractor for the U.S. Naval Academy football team.
