HB 1088: Chiropractors; replace term chiropractor with chiropractic physician

Georgia law currently uses the word "chiropractor" to describe people licensed to practice chiropractic care. This bill would change that title to "chiropractic physician" in the chapter of Georgia law that governs chiropractic practice (O.C.G.A. Chapter 9 of Title 43), as well as in more than 20 other Georgia code sections covering things like malpractice affidavits, insurance definitions, disability parking permits, and health care advertising rules. Licensed practitioners would still be allowed to use the older title "chiropractor" if they choose, and both terms would be protected, meaning unlicensed people could still be criminally charged for using either title. The bill also updates the rule for chiropractors who are licensed in other states or countries and visit Georgia briefly for a sports or performing arts event, and it removes a restriction that had barred chiropractors from putting the word "physician" in the name of a jointly owned professional corporation with medical physicians. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it.

• Replaces the term "chiropractor" with "chiropractic physician" throughout Georgia's chiropractic licensing law (O.C.G.A. Chapter 9 of Title 43) and in more than 20 other Georgia code sections.
• Lets licensed practitioners keep using the older title "chiropractor," along with "doctor of chiropractic" or "D.C.," alongside the new title "chiropractic physician."
• Makes it a felony, punishable by a $500 to $5,000 fine and two to five years in prison, for anyone to use the title "chiropractic physician" without a license, extending the existing penalty that already covered "chiropractor."
• Broadens the exception for chiropractic practitioners visiting Georgia for a specific sports or performing arts event so it covers any person licensed to practice chiropractic in another state, territory, or country, not just someone already called a chiropractor.
• Removes a restriction that had barred chiropractors from attaching the word "physician" to their names or to a jointly owned professional corporation shared with medical physicians.
• Updates terminology in a coroner's subpoena law and dozens of other Georgia statutes so references to chiropractors match the new title.

Licensed chiropractors and chiropractic students in Georgia, the Georgia Board of Chiropractic Examiners, out-of-state or international chiropractic practitioners visiting for sports or performing arts events, medical physicians who might jointly own a professional corporation with a chiropractor, coroners and medical examiners who subpoena records, and insurers and health facilities referenced in the updated code sections.

Patients would see the professional title "chiropractic physician" on licenses, signage, and legal documents, though the familiar term "chiropractor" would remain legal to use. Visiting chiropractors could more clearly serve traveling sports teams or performing arts events in Georgia, and chiropractors could more freely form joint practices with medical physicians using the word "physician."

• Section 1-1 rewrites O.C.G.A. § 43-9-7.2 to use "chiropractic physician" and broadens the sports/performing arts visitor exception to any person licensed to practice chiropractic elsewhere, not just someone titled a "chiropractor."
• Section 1-2 rewrites the scope-of-practice law (O.C.G.A. § 43-9-16) to use "chiropractic physician" throughout and adds that title as an option alongside "chiropractor," "doctor of chiropractic," and "D.C."
• Section 1-3 updates the penalty law (O.C.G.A. § 43-9-19) so unauthorized use of the new title "chiropractic physician" is also a felony, carrying a $500 to $5,000 fine and two to five years in prison.
• Section 1-4 swaps "chiropractor"/"chiropractors" for "chiropractic physician"/"chiropractic physicians" in four more sections covering definitions, board composition, board authority, and license discipline.
• Section 2-1 amends O.C.G.A. § 14-7-4 to remove the rule barring chiropractors from using the word "physician" in the name of a professional corporation jointly owned with medical physicians.
• Section 2-2 updates a coroner's subpoena law (O.C.G.A. § 45-16-27) to refer to "chiropractic physicians'" offices when compelling medical records.
• Section 2-3 replaces "chiropractor" terminology with "chiropractic physician" across 22 additional Georgia code sections spanning malpractice, insurance, health facility, and disability parking law.
• Section 3-1 makes the entire Act effective immediately upon the Governor's signature.

1. 2026-02-03House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-02-02House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-01-29House Hopper (House)

• Karen Mathiak (R, HD-082)Primary sponsor
• Matt Reeves (R, HD-099)
• Anissa Jones (D, HD-143)
• Gerald Greene (R, HD-154)
• Stacey Evans (D, HD-057)

• chiropractors
• medical licensing
• professional titles
• health care regulation