Acupuncturists, Teachers, Students, and Patients to Rally in Support of Assemblyman Yee’s Bill

Over 500 acupuncturists, acupuncture school teachers and students, and patients will gather at the California State Capitol on Monday, August 22, 2005, in support of legislation authored by Assembly Speaker pro Tem Leland Yee (D-San Francisco/Daly City) designed to strengthen the profession of acupuncture and to increase public safety. Following the rally, which will include several prominent California legislators and other dignitaries, the contingent of attendees will hand deliver several hundred letters in support of the bills to the Governor’s office.

I am honored that so many acupuncturists and consumer advocates from throughout California will be traveling to Sacramento in support of these important bills,” said Speaker pro Tem Yee. “The Legislature has overwhelmingly supported our efforts to strengthen the acupuncture profession; it is imperative that the Governor hear from patients and the acupuncture community, and that he sign this legislation.”

Two decades ago there were no acupuncture colleges in the United States. Today, there are more than twenty, with over 6,000 licensed acupuncturists in California alone. Nationally, acupuncture has become increasingly popular with over 15 million American consumers.

As more and more people learn about the positive health effects of acupuncture, the practice has become part of American mainstream culture,” said Speaker pro Tem Yee. “For the health and safety of our community, it is important that the profession be well defined and that the public have a clear understanding of who acupuncture practitioners are and the role they play in the health and welfare of healthcare consumers.”

As diagnosis is necessary prior to administering any medical treatment, Assembly Bill (AB) 1113 formally establishes that acupuncturists may diagnose within their scope of practice.

Although acupuncturists are often the first, and sometimes the only health provider seen by a patient, acupuncturists are not formally recognized in statute to diagnose,” said Speaker pro Tem Yee. “Because acupuncturists can not treat without ascertaining a patient’s condition, AB 1113 is a logical and necessary revision to present statutory language.”

AB 1114 will increase the required number of continuing education hours for license renewal from thirty hours to fifty hours every two years. Most of the new twenty hours will be dedicated to issues of patient care and public health and safety, areas which have been acknowledged to be of the greatest importance.

AB 1115 will formally recognize the assistant to an acupuncturist as an “acupuncture assistant.” As support staff, acupuncture assistants would carry out administrative and ancillary duties, but would not be allowed to carry out responsibilities specifically allocated to acupuncturists by virtue of their license and training.

AB 1117 changes California code terminology from Oriental to Asian.

In addition to Speaker pro Tem Yee’s legislation, the group will be urging the Legislature and the Governor to support the sunrise of the California Acupuncture Board, which is responsible for protecting and educating the public through appropriate regulation of licensure, education standards, and enforcement of the Acupuncture Licensure Act.

Monday's rally is a necessary exercise through which practitioners of acupuncture, members of the educational community, patients and concerned citizens can come together to show their support for Assemblyman Yee’s legislation and for the preservation of the California Acupuncture Board,” said Michelle Lau, President of the Council of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Associations (CAOMA).