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National Level Legislative Updates

State Level Legislative Updates

Coalition for Natural Health Citizens Grassroots Brochure

House and Senate Bill     Mini-Data Current Status

•  Food And Drug Administration Congressional Testimony
   

•  Idaho Legislative Website
   

•  Idaho Natural Health Care Services Disclosure Form
   

•  National Coalition of Natural Health
   

•  National Vaccine Information Center
   

•  US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions
   

•  Vaccination Liberation
   

•  Citizens for Health
   

Part of the Idaho Coalition for Natural Health's mission is to keep you updated and educated on legislative issues that may affect the natural health care community.  Posting on this site does not necessarily indicate that the ICNH is an advocate of such legislation.  This site is for informational purposes to help you keep informed of legislative issues. 

LEGISLATIVE ACTION IN IDAHO

SB 1425............................................by HEALTH AND WELFARE NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIANS - Amends and adds to existing law to revise definitions; to provide that members of the Board of Naturopathic Medical Examiners shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor; to revise qualifications for board membership; to provide for the dissolution of the board; to provide for the appointment of board members; to revise powers and duties of the board; to revise fees for licensure; and to revise qualifications for licensure. 

In this year’s legislative session, the ICNH members and friends were called to action and asked to renew their commitment to health freedom by contacting their legislators and attending committee hearings in an effort to amend SB 1425 --a bill written to create a monopoly in the power structure of the Naturopathic Licensing Board. Through their efforts, SB 1425 was successfully amended to allow for the creation of a fair and balanced licensing board.  It passed the House & Senate on March 31, 2008 and was signed into law on April 11, 2008 by Governor Butch Otter.  Read the full story here!

Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Act - effective July 1, 2005 - Click here to access this law.

What does this mean for Idaho natural health care practitioners?

"...Any person providing natural health care services who is not a naturopathic physician and who is advertising or charging a fee for those services, shall, prior to providing such services, disclose to the client in a clearly worded statement...". Click here to create a personalized Idaho Natural Health Care Services Disclosure Form.

Furthermore, "...Before a practitioner provides natural health care services to a client for the first time, such practitioner must obtain a written acknowledgment from the client stating that he or she has been provided with the information described in this section. The client shall be provided with a copy of this written acknowledgment which must be maintained for two (2) years by the person providing the services. If the disclosure information changes, then the practitioner has a duty to repeat the disclosure if a client obtains services after the change."

Still have questions on how this affects you?  Contact us!

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY IN IDAHO

Prior to the Naturopathic Physicians Licensure Act of 2005, natural health care was covered under Idaho Code Title 54, Chapter 18.  The latest online data goes back to 1998.  None of them have passed except SB 1158 in 2005.

1998 – SB 1430 – Naturopaths Certification
1999 – SB 1148 – Naturopathic Health Care Act
2000 – SB 1430 – Naturopathic Health Care Act (yes, same bill number as in 1998)
2001 – HB 258 – Naturopathic Medicine Act
2002 – HB 639 – Naturopaths, Licensure & HB 703 – Naturopaths, Licensure
2003 – HB 239 – Natural Health Care Act & HB 373 – Naturopathic Physicians, Licensure
2004 – SB 1300 – Naturopaths, Licensure & HB 695 – Naturopaths, Licensure
2005 – HB 363 – Naturopaths, Licensure & SB 1158 – Naturopathic Physicians, Licensure (this passed and became effective 7/1/05 – The Naturopathic Physicians Licensure Act – and became Chapter 51 of Idaho Code Title 54
2007 – HB 120 – Naturopath Medical Examiner Board (recommending amendments to the Naturopathic Physicians Licensure Act)
2008 - SB 1425 – Naturopath Licensing Board, Members - amended and passed 4/11/08

National Level

• Posted 5/27/2007:  Search Results - THOMAS (Library of Congress)   S.1082 information

• BREAKING NEWS: FDA Contacts Citizens for Health Executive Director, Announces Re-opening of Comment Period for CAM Guidance

  For Release May 23rd, 2007

  CONTACT: Frank Herd, Jr, 612.879.7583
  Washington, DC & Minneapolis, Minnesota – Citizens for Health Executive Director, Frank Herd, Jr, reports that he received a call today from the FDA assuring him that they have reopened the comment period on their “Guidance for Industry on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Products and Their Regulation by the Food and Drug Administration.  As stated in a notice in the Federal Register, they will accept comments through May 29th "due to confusion as to the closing date for comments on the draft guidance." (Read the notice here).  This means that the agency is honoring the deadline they posted in April, but later retracted, citing it had been posted due to an employee error.

  To send your comments, click here.

  “The FDA’s main contact on the proposed guidance, Philip Chao, called to let us know the moment the comment period was re-opened and the amended deadline was posted on their site,” Mr. Herd said.  “We immediately verified this, and now encourage anyone in the natural health community that is concerned about the potential implications of the proposed guidance to take this opportunity to ensure your voice is heard – there are only a few days left!” 

  Click here to send your comments now!

  “The FDA had already received more than 125,000 comments on this proposed guidance, mostly negative, when I spoke with Mr. Chao 3 weeks ago.  Since then, more than 8000 Citizens for Health members responded to our call for emails to the FDA urging them to honor the May 29th deadline,” Mr. Herd added.  “This is clearly a grassroots victory for Citizens for Health, its constituents, and the natural health movement as a whole.”

  The deadline is only a few days away – send your comments now!

  Thanks for staying involved,

  The Citizens for Health Team

• Posted 5/2007:    This is an update from the National Coalition for Natural Health.
  Sen. Kennedy's FDA Revitalization Act, S. 1082, here is the actual language amended into the Act:
  "Sec. X08. Rule of Construction Nothing in this title (or an amendment made by this title) shall be
  construed to affect-- (1) The regulation of dietary supplements under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act; or (2) The adverse event reporting system for dietary supplements created under the Dietary Supplement and Nonprescription Drug Consumer Protection Act."
  The amendment was approved by the Senate, 94 to zero.
   

• Posted July 9, 2006:  FTC Business Opportunity Rule, R51193
  The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has proposed a new rule (Business Opportunity Rule, R511993) that will affect the direct market selling industry, requiring companies to alter their sales methods and placing additional burdens on direct sellers in order to comply with federal law.  Under the new rule, several requirements may be initiated that will be oppressive and burdensome for both company and distributors alike.  For more information on the requirements under the new rule, visit the website of the Direct Selling Women's Alliance.
      If you wish to comment on this Business Opportunity Rule, click here to access the FTC comment form.  Comments must be received by July 17.
   
• Released July 4, 2006 from Citizens for Health.  Senate Bill 3546 supports existing legislation and provides additional consumer safety protections while also protecting responsible dietary supplement companies from unjustified burdens.

  Citizens for Health today commended Senators Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) for introducing Senate Bill 3546, the “Dietary Supplement and Nonprescription Drug Consumer Act,” a bill that will require manufacturers to notify the FDA of all serious adverse events (AEs) for over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and dietary supplements reported to them.

  Click here to find out more from Citizens for Health!
  Click here to read the full text of Senate Bill 3546