---
title: HB 1088. Chiropractors; replace term chiropractor with chiropractic physician
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb1088
cite_as: HB 1088, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1088
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1088.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1088/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72594
date: 2026-02-03
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1088.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 1088
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-01-29
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Karen Mathiak
- Matt Reeves
- Anissa Jones
- Gerald Greene
- Stacey Evans
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1088/2025
upstream_id: 2102291
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- chiropractors
- medical licensing
- professional titles
- health care regulation
---
# HB 1088. Chiropractors; replace term chiropractor with chiropractic physician
## Text
House Bill 1088
By: Representatives Mathiak of the 82nd, Reeves of the 99th, Jones of the 143rd, Greene of the
154th, Evans of the 57th, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 9 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
chiropractors, so as to replace the term "chiropractor" with "chiropractic physician"; to
provide for certain persons licensed to practice chiropractic who visit this state for a specific
sports or performing arts event; to allow licensed chiropractic physicians to use the term
"chiropractor"; to protect the terms "chiropractor" and "chiropractic physician"; to amend
Title 14 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to corporations, partnerships,
and associations, so as to provide for professional corporations jointly owned by chiropractic
physicians and physicians; to amend Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to public officers and employees, so as to provide for conforming changes in
terminology; to amend various titles of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, so as to
provide for conforming changes in terminology; to provide for related matters; to provide for
an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
PART I
SECTION 1-1.
Chapter 9 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to chiropractors,
is amended by revising Code Section 43-9-7.2, relating to persons excepted from application
of chapter, as follows:
"43-9-7.2.
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as preventing or prohibiting the practice,
services, or activities of:
(1) Any person pursuing a course of study leading to a doctor of chiropractic degree,
postgraduate training, or training as a chiropractic assistant, which is approved by the
board as provided for in this chapter, if such person is designated by a title indicating
student status, is fulfilling clinical training requirements for the attainment of a degree or
certificate, and is under the supervision of a chiropractor chiropractic physician licensed
under this chapter and approved by the board;
(2) Any person licensed to practice chiropractic in this or another state who is employed
as a professor or instructor by a chiropractic school or college located in this state or who
is enrolled in or teaching a course of study designed to develop chiropractic clinical skills
when chiropractic activities are required as part of an educational program sponsored by
a chiropractic school or college, as provided for in Code Section 43-9-7, or other
educational program as may be approved by the board. Such practice shall be conducted
under the supervision of a licensed chiropractor chiropractic physician approved by the
board. No such person shall be authorized to provide chiropractic services outside of the
scope of the educational program and setting, nor shall such a person perform, or
supervise the performance of, any chiropractic service provided on a fee-for-service basis
without having first obtained a license in accordance with this chapter. The board shall
have the authority to promulgate rules relative to such practice;
(3) A chiropractor Any person licensed to practice chiropractic in good standing in any
other state, territory, or other jurisdiction of the United States or of any other nation or
foreign jurisdiction if that person is employed or designated in their professional capacity
by a sports or performing arts entity visiting the state for a specific sports or performing
arts event subject to the following restrictions:
(A) A chiropractor's Such person's practice under this paragraph is limited to the
members, coaches, and staff of the team or event for which that chiropractor person is
employed or designated, and such practice shall only occur at the designated venue of
the event; and
(B) Any chiropractor person practicing under the authority of this paragraph may
utilize only those practices and procedures authorized by this chapter and approved by
board rule; and
(4) Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit any person from assisting a duly licensed
chiropractor chiropractic physician in the practices and procedures so authorized by this
chapter, excluding the adjustment of the articulations of the human body, provided such
person is under the direct order and supervision of a duly licensed doctor of chiropractic
who is physically present in the facility or office."
SECTION 1-2.
Said chapter is further amended by revising Code Section 43-9-16, relating to scope of
practice, as follows:
"43-9-16.
(a) Chiropractors Chiropractic physicians who have complied with this chapter shall have
the right to practice chiropractic as defined in paragraph (2) of Code Section 43-9-1 and
to evaluate, diagnose, and adjust patients according to specific chiropractic methods in
order to correct spinal subluxations or to adjust the articulations of the human body.
Chiropractors Chiropractic physicians shall observe all applicable public health regulations.
(b) The chiropractic adjustment of the spine or articulations of the human body may
include manual adjustments and adjustments by means of electrical and mechanical devices
which produce traction or vibration. Chiropractors Chiropractic physicians who have
complied with this chapter may also use modalities. Modalities include any physical agent
applied to produce therapeutic change to biologic tissues including thermal, acoustic,
noninvasive light, mechanical, or electric energy, hot or cold packs, ultrasound, galvanism,
microwave, diathermy, and electrical stimulation. Chiropractors Chiropractic physicians
who have complied with this chapter may utilize and recommend therapeutic procedures
effecting change through the application of clinical skills and services that attempt to
improve function, including therapeutic exercise, therapeutic activities, manual therapy
techniques, massage, and structural supports as they relate to the articulations of the human
body; provided, however, that the same shall not be construed to allow chiropractors
chiropractic physicians to treat patients outside the scope of practice of chiropractic as set
forth in this chapter.
(c) Chiropractors Chiropractic physicians who have complied with this chapter may utilize
those modalities and procedures described in subsection (b) of this Code section, provided
the chiropractor chiropractic physician shall have completed a course of study containing
a minimum of 120 hours of instruction in the proper utilization of those procedures in
accordance with the guidelines set forth by the Council on Chiropractic Education or its
successor and is qualified and so certified in that proper utilization.
(d) Chiropractors Chiropractic physicians who have complied with this chapter shall have
the right to sign health certificates, reporting to the proper health officers the same as other
practitioners.
(e) Chiropractors Chiropractic physicians shall not prescribe or administer medicine to
patients, perform surgery, or practice obstetrics or osteopathy.
(f) Chiropractors Chiropractic physicians shall not use venipuncture, capillary puncture,
acupuncture, or any other technique which is invasive of the human body either by
penetrating the skin or through any of the orifices of the body or through the use of
colonics. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit a chiropractor
chiropractic physician who is licensed to perform acupuncture under Article 3 of Chapter
34 of this title from engaging in the practice of acupuncture.
(g) A person professing to practice chiropractic for compensation must bring to the
exercise of that person's profession a reasonable degree of care and skill. Any injury
resulting from a want of such care and skill shall be a tort for which a recovery may be had.
If a chiropractor chiropractic physician performs upon a patient any act authorized to be
so performed under this chapter but which act also constitutes a standard procedure of the
practice of medicine, including but not limited to the use of modalities such as those
described in subsection (b) of this Code section and X-rays, under similar circumstances
the chiropractor chiropractic physician shall be held to the same standard of care as would
licensed doctors of medicine who are qualified to and who actually perform those acts
under similar conditions and like circumstances.
(h) A licensed practitioner of chiropractic may use only the title 'chiropractor,' 'chiropractic
physician,' or 'doctor of chiropractic,' or 'D.C.'
(i) Chiropractors Chiropractic physicians who have complied with this chapter may
recommend the use of nutritional and dietary supplements. Any such recommendation of
nutritional and dietary supplements shall not be construed to allow chiropractors
chiropractic physicians to treat patients outside the scope of the practice of chiropractic as
set forth in this chapter nor shall this subsection be construed to allow chiropractors
chiropractic physicians to sell at a profit any such nutritional and dietary supplements
without providing their generic name. Nothing in this subsection shall preclude
compliance with Chapter 8 of Title 48, relating to the collection of sales and use taxes."
SECTION 1-3.
Said chapter is further amended by revising Code Section 43-9-19, relating to penalty, as
follows:
"43-9-19.
It shall be unlawful for any person to practice chiropractic unless that person shall have
first obtained a license as provided in this chapter and possesses all the qualifications
prescribed by the terms of this chapter. Any person who practices or attempts to practice
chiropractic without a license, or; who buys or fraudulently obtains a license to practice
chiropractic, or; who violates any of the terms of this chapter,; or who uses the title
'chiropractic physician,' 'doctor of chiropractic,' 'chiropractor,' 'chiropractic,' 'D.C.,' or any
word or title to induce the belief that such a person is engaged in the practice of
chiropractic, without first complying with this chapter, shall be guilty of a felony and, upon
conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not less than $500.00 nor more than
$5,000.00, or by imprisonment for not less than two nor more than five years, or both, at
the discretion of the court. All subsequent offenses shall be separate and distinct offenses,
and punishable in like manner."
SECTION 1-4.
Said chapter is further amended by replacing "chiropractor" and "chiropractors" with
"chiropractic physician" and "chiropractic physicians", respectively, wherever the former
terms occur in:
(1) Code Section 43-9-1, relating to definitions;
(2) Code Section 43-9-2, relating to Georgia Board of Chiropractic Examiners, members,
qualifications, residence requirements, and terms;
(3) Code Section 43-9-6.1, relating to authority of board; and
(4) Code Section 43-9-12, relating to refusal, suspension, or revocation of licenses,
subpoenas, other discipline, judicial review, reinstatement, voluntary surrender of license,
injunctions, and statement of complaint.
PART II
SECTION 2-1.
Title 14 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to corporations, partnerships,
and associations, is amended in Code Section 14-7-4, relating to professional services, by
revising paragraph (4) of subsection (a) as follows:
"(4) To the extent not inconsistent with the ethics of the professions involved or
otherwise prohibited by law, chiropractors chiropractic physicians who are practicing
within their scope of practice as established by law may organize and jointly own a
professional corporation with physicians who are practicing within their scope of practice
as established by law; provided, however, that nothing in this paragraph shall authorize
chiropractors to attach the title 'physician' to such chiropractors' names or to the name of
the professional corporation."
SECTION 2-2.
Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to public officers and employees,
is amended in Code Section 45-16-27, relating to when inquest to be held, special situations,
coroner's fee, issuance of subpoenas, cost of copying, and limited disclosure of photographs,
by revising subsection (c) as follows:
"(c) When a coroner or a medical examiner or a medical examiner from the office of chief
medical examiner, as established in Code Section 35-3-153, conducts an investigation into
the death of an individual, the coroner, medical examiner, or medical examiner from the
office of chief medical examiner shall be authorized to issue subpoenas to compel the
production of any books, records, including but not limited to medical records from
hospitals, medical clinics, psychiatric hospitals, physicians' offices, chiropractors'
chiropractic physicians' offices, and any other health care healthcare delivery facility, or
papers relevant to the cause of death including without limitation AIDS confidential
information as defined by Code Section 31-22-9.1. Any books, records, or papers received
by the coroner, medical examiner, or medical examiner from the office of chief medical
examiner pursuant to the subpoena must be regarded as confidential information and
privileged and not subject to disclosure under Article 4 of Chapter 18 of Title 50. The
actual costs of copying any books, records, or papers for the purposes of responding to a
subpoena under this subsection shall be paid out of county funds to the person or entity
required to respond to that subpoena, and the governing authority of the county of which
that coroner or county medical examiner is a public officer shall pay those costs within 30
days after a bill therefor is submitted to the county. A medical examiner from the office
of chief medical examiner shall pay the costs of copying from state funds within 30 days
after a bill therefor is submitted to the state."
SECTION 2-3.
The Official Code of Georgia Annotated is amended by replacing "chiropractor",
"chiropractors", "Chiropractor", and "Chiropractors" with "chiropractic physician",
"chiropractic physicians", "Chiropractic physician", and "Chiropractic physicians",
respectively, wherever the former terms occur in:
(1) Code Section 9-11-9.1, relating to affidavit to accompany charge of professional
malpractice;
(2) Code Section 14-10-2, relating to definitions relative to professional associations;
(3) Code Section 31-7-131, relating to definitions for peer review groups relative to the
regulation and construction of hospitals and other health care facilities;
(4) Code Section 31-12A-2, relating to definitions relative to smoke-free air;
(5) Code Section 33-20A-3, relating to definitions for patient protection relative to
managed health care plans;
(6) Code Section 33-20E-2, relating to applications to insurers and definitions relative to
the "Surprise Billing Consumer Protection Act";
(7) Code Section 33-24-27, relating to provision for reimbursement for services within the
lawful scope of practice of psychologists or chiropractors;
(8) Code Section 33-24-59.24, relating to restrictions on payment methods prohibited,
waiver of provisions prohibited, and enforcement;
(9) Code Section 33-24-59.27, relating to right to shop for insurance coverage, disclosure
of pricing information, and notice;
(10) Code Section 33-39-3, relating to definitions relative to the collection, use, and
disclosure of information gathered by insurance institutions;
(11) Code Section 33-46-4, relating to definitions relative to certification of private review
agents;
(12) Code Section 40-2-74.1, relating to temporary, permanent, and special permanent
parking permits for persons with disabilities;
(13) Code Section 43-1-28, relating to volunteers in health care specialties;
(14) Code Section 43-1-33, relating to advertisement, signage, and identifier requirements
for health care practitioners;
(15) Code Section 43-1-35, relating to expedited license by endorsement for spouses of
active or transitioning members of the armed forces and license by endorsement for certain
professions;
(16) Code Section 43-1B-3, relating to definitions for patient self-referral relative to
professions and businesses;
(17) Code Section 43-28-15, relating to exceptions to operation of article relevant to
occupational therapists;
(18) Code Section 44-14-470, relating to lien on causes of action accruing to injured
person for costs of care and treatment of injuries arising out of such causes of action;
(19) Code Section 48-13-9, relating to limitation on authority of local government to
impose regulatory fee, examples of individuals and entities which may and may not be
subject to fees, and methods for determining fees;
(20) Code Section 51-1-29.5, relating to definitions, limitation on health care liability
claim to gross negligence in emergency medical care, and factors for jury consideration;
(21) Code Section 51-2-5.1, relating to relationship between hospital and health care
provider prerequisite to liability, notice regarding independent contractor status, and factors
for consideration in determining status; and
(22) Code Section 51-16-1, relating to definitions for COVID-19 pandemic business
safety.
PART III
SECTION 3-1.
This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law
without such approval.
SECTION 3-2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
A Georgia House bill would rename licensed chiropractors as "chiropractic physicians" throughout state law, while still letting them use the term "chiropractor," and would update dozens of other Georgia code sections to match.
### Plain-language summary
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.
### What it does
- 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.
### Who it affects
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.
### Why it matters
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."
### Key provisions
- 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.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2026-01-29)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2026-02-03)
- Sponsors: Karen Mathiak, Matt Reeves, Anissa Jones, Gerald Greene, Stacey Evans
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72594
> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1088.md?full=1