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gon United Stay, Xe, RED p> rtment of GOVERNMENT OF THE VIRGINS ISLANDS OF THE UNITED STATES -0- DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 1303 HOSPITAL GROUND, STE. 10 -ST THOMAS, VI 00802 VIRGIN ISLANDS BOARD OF (340) 718-1311 XT 3647 STX CHIROPRACTIC EXAMINERS (340) 774-7477 XT 5694 STT To Whom 7 May Concern: We received your request for information regarding Chiropractic licensure in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Enclosed are an application and the requirements for licensure. Please fill out the application and submit with all the required documentation to the Board. Your interest is appreciated. If we can be of further assistance, please feel free to call the Office of Professional Licensure and Health Planning at (340)774-7477 XT 5694 (STT) or (340)718- 1311 XT 3647 (STX.) Sincerely, Elizabeth Masiello, DC Chairperson, V.I. Board of Chiropractic Examiners Enclosures OVERRIDDEN - ACT NO 7% 5] 0 WEToe ) DATE: 09/27/2013 note an a BILL NO. 30-0037 JUL 18 2013 GOVERNOR THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS Regular Session 2013 _ An Act amending Virgin Islands Code title 3. chapter 23, section 415, and title 27, chapter 1, subchapter X, relating to the practice of chiropractic medicine ---0--- Be it enacted by the Legislature of the Virgin Islands: SECTION 1. Title 3 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 23, section 415, subsection (b) is amended in paragraph (7) by striking “two physicians, two doctors of chiropractic” and inserting “four chiropractic physicians” who have held a license to practice chiropractic in the Territory at least three years and by striking all of the language after the phrase, “neither a physician nor a” and inserting “chiropractic physician” all of whom must be bona fide residents of the Virgin Islands. (A) The public member of the Board must not be in any manner connected with, or have an interest in, any colleye or school of chiropractic or any person practicing any form of healing or treatment of bodily or mental ailments. (B) Except as provided in subparagraph (C), a Board member may not receive compensation as an agent or employee of or a contractor for an insurance company. (C) | Subparagraph (B) does not prevent a Board member who is a licensed chiropractic physician from receiving compensation from an insurance company for patient care, as provided for in a patient's insurance policy. SECTION 2. Title 27 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 1, subchapter X is amended in the following instances: (i) Section 167a is amended by striking all of the language after “subchapter” and inserting new language that reads as follows: “(1) ‘Practice of chiropractic’ means the diagnosis and treatment of human ailments, as taught by a school or college of chiropractic accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education, recognized by the United States Department of Education, including: (A) : The detection and correction of structural and functional imbalance, nerve interference, distortion, misalignment and subluxations in the human body and their effects for the purpose of restoring and maintaining health; (B) All appropriate physiotherapy procedures and other appropriate treatment to restore and maintain the nervous, muscular or skeletal systems and the general health of the human body by manual or instrument correction; (C) _ The taking of case histories, examining and evaluating the patient, ordering or performing laboratory and other diagnostic tests, as needed, diagnosing the condition and then. treating, managing, co-managing or referring to other specialists, as warranted; and (D) ‘The performance of health promotion and wellness procedures and services, including exercise, nutrition, weight loss, stress reduction, and education and counseling on general health matters, in accordance with the standards and practices of the Council on Chiropractic Education, recognized by the United States Department of Education.” (2) Section 167d is amended in paragraph (2) by striking “chiropractors” and inserting “chiropractic physicians”, by designating the existing language as subsection (f) and by adding subsections (a) through (e) to read as follows: “(a) As used in this subchapter, “Board” means the Virgin Islands Board of Chiropractic Examiners established under 3 V.LC. §415 (b) (7) and authorized to operate under this subchapter. {b) | Members of the Board of Chiropractic Examiners shall serve a term of four years and may be reappointed. Upon the conclusion of the term of any member of the Board, the member shall continue to serve until a new member has been appointed and confirmed. Members of the Board may be removed by the Governor only for cause. (c) A quorum consists of three of the Board’s members. A majority of those present shall decide on all matters before the Board. Members of the Board may participate in meetings by video conference to minimize the need for inter-island travel, and the Board shall use video conferencing whenever practical. However, this subsection may not be construed to permit any violation of 1 V.1.C. §254. (d) | Each member is entitled to receive $75 for each day or part of a day spent in the attendance of official meetings of the Board, plus actual travel expenses when the member travels from the island of the member’s residence to attend an official meeting. | (e) A Board member who acts within the authority of the Board is personally immune from civil liability with respect to all actions the Board member takes in good faith pursuant to this subchapter.” LoS) (3) Section 167e is amended as follows: {A) in paragraph (4) after “Science” by inserting, “Bachelor of Arts”; after “degree”, by inserting “with the required subjects for admission and graduation, and the awarding of a Doctor of Chiropractic Degree”; and after “Department of Education,” by inserting “and the Board”; and (B) bystriking paragraphs (5) and (6) in their entirety. (4) Section 167f is amended in subsection (b) by striking all of the language after “75%” and adding new language that reads as follows: “in the subjects on which the candidates were examined, but may not attain a grade lower than 65% in any subject”. (5) Section 167g is amended in the second sentence after “reexamination” by inserting “of‘any part with a grade lower than 65%”. (6) Section 167i is amended: (A) in subsection (a) by striking “annually” and inserting “biennially” and by striking “3100” and inserting “$200” and completion of such continuing education courses as the Board through regulations shall require; and (B)} _in subsection (b) after “drunkenness,” by inserting “un-prescribed or”. (7) Section 167} is amended: (A) in subsection (a), inserting “and imaging” after every occurrence of “x-ray”, in paragraph (1), by striking “shall not be uscd for therapeutic purposes, but”, and by striking paragraph (2) in its entirety; (B) in subsection (b) by striking “chiropractors” and inserting “chiropractic physician’s” and by inserting “and imaging after x-ray”; {C) in subsection (c) by striking “Chiropractors shall retain for a period of five years” and inserting “Chiropractic physicians shall comply with territorial and federal laws in retaining” and by striking the words, “x-ray films” and inserting in their place “x-rays and imaging”, by inserting “all” after “make”, by striking the words, “films and”, and by inserting after every other occurrence of the word, “x-ray” or “x-rays” in subsection (c), the words, “and imaging”; and (D) in subsection (d) by striking “chiropractor” and inserting “chiropractic physician’s”; and after “government” by adding “and approved by the Board, and after “x- rays” by inserting “or imaging”. I (8) Section 167k is amended: (A) after “appendicitis” by striking “or diabetes”; (B) after ‘‘fractures” by striking “or”, and inserting a semicolon (;), and the phrase, “to reduce”, and after “dislocations” by inserting “except in an emergency’’; (C) after “involving” by striking “chemical or biological means” and inserting “prescription pharmaceuticals”; (D) after “means” by striking “or to utilize therapeutic devices except electrical devices approved by the Board as being essential to the practice of chiropractic”; and (E) by striking the last sentence in the section; designating the remaining sentence as subsection (a) and adding subsections (b) and (c) to read as follows: “(b) Nothing in this section may be construed as restricting a licensed chiropractic physician from perfonning scholastic, sports, routine or other physical exaininations, ordering or performing standard medical, laboratory or radiological or imaging procedures, as a means-to assist in arriving at a-diagnosis of the patient's condition, or the utilizing of procedures, structural supports, devises, electric or otherwise, for the purpose of the chiropractic treatment, making an appropriate referral or recommending nutritional, herbal, homeopathic, enzyme or other non- prescription pharmacological supplements or preparations. (c) A licensed chiropractic physician may render health care services, without undue restrictions, as any other physician under the Virgin Islands workers compensation law”. (9) — Section 167] is amended: (A) after “Doctor” by inserting, “Doctor of Chiropractic,” (B) after “abbreviation” by inserting “D.C.,” (C) after the phrase, “unless the”, by striking “‘chiropractor™ and inserting “chiropractic physician”; and (D) after the phrase, “designation of”, by inserting “Chiropractic Physician,” “Doctor of Chiropractic, or”. SECTION 3. The Govemor shall make appointments to the Board of Chiropractic Examiners consistent with the membership composition established in 3 V.1.C. §415(b)(7), as amended by section 1 of this Act, no later than 30 days after enactment of this Act members serving on the Board on 'the effective date of this section shall continue to serve until their successors are appointed and confirmed. LA) SECTION 4. The Board of Chiropractic Examiners. no later than 180 days after the appointment of all the Board members pursuant to section 3, shall establish and promulgate regulations pursuant to title 27 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 1, subchapter X, section 167d. as necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act. SECTION 5. The Board of Chiropractic Examiners no later than 365 days after appointment of all the Board members pursuant to section 3, shall promulgate regulations relating to the continuing education requirements established under 27 V.1.C. §1671, as added by section 2(6) of this Act. The Board may also approve and accept appropriate, continuing medical education courses offered by or at the Hospitals. SECTION 6. Sections | and 2 of this Act take effect 90 days after enactment. oh Day of Thus passed by the Legislature of the Virgin Islands on June 28, 2013. Witness our Hands and Seal of the Legislature of the Virgin Islands this July, A.D., 2013. Shawn-Michacl Malone President : —TEgislative Secretary ._ _, > Jangtte Millin Young -~