[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":-5,"_68":69,"_70":-5,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6422615,"mediaKeyId","2764980-d125e70e1c5eb88fa355fbf6b6110f9b","parentId",2764980,"title","House committee debates animal chiropractic bill after competing testimony from veterinarians and chiropractors","audioSeconds",417,"startMs",2021000,"endMs",2438000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2764980-d125e70e1c5eb88fa355fbf6b6110f9b&start=2021&end=2438","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2764980-d125e70e1c5eb88fa355fbf6b6110f9b/thumbnail_2021000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6422615/House-committee-debates-animal-chiropractic-bill-after-competing-testimony-from-veterinarians-and-chiropractors","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6422615-ae542289fde74e396dbaf4cb607604ee/orig.mp4?Expires=1770485886&Signature=lKjbMaCQ80-2k7DWOWxmq9JPhEXD5hlUdluBQ-R-DIY93LyinmvFTyeG47dk7Fr7y7cQdTAZp3bcgLAu4hAhHwVzQ9S0ktrcX99nxXe7lzO1FqVbh3qAYAqYTRaow~rQgAwtWQAlNNNncuF56ARJnaKatqRICz2tMXoNsGlyA~hFBCljpa5WAkXyxiIMbtRoatC9LlmJg26FJ5t0P-HYcxC1ViFMKxz4trgMn-nFdL5ayu0i6rg6o8crZFGEFQSYZTp9-XI1S4Wp9ZOa58uhZAWwUHX024btsr5AL1zQ-ZHI1HyFxBctWKrCmORlVoU56oY8h7yINJnE8Jm7KfAKeg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","TN State Legislature","date","2025-03-25T00:00:00Z","article","House Bill 164, a bill to set education and regulatory standards for animal chiropractic care, drew extensive testimony and debate in the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, including sworn statements from veterinarians and representatives of the chiropractic trade.

The measure, sponsored by Speaker Marsh, as presented to the committee would \"establish educational standards which must be met by chiropractic physicians and veterinarians who perform animal chiropractic work,\" Marsh said. The bill defines animal chiropractic as evaluation and treatment of a nonhuman’s vertebral or extremity joint dysfunction \"through spinal, joint, or musculoskeletal and soft tissue therapy,\" and it specifically excludes surgery, dispensing or administering medications, or \"traditional veterinarian care.\"

Veterinarians told the committee they oppose the bill as written because it would allow non‑veterinarians to diagnose and treat animals without a prior veterinary evaluation. \"This bill allows individuals who are not veterinarians and who are performing procedures that are not even considered core chiropractic treatments by their own national organization to diagnose and treat animals without an educated veterinarian first evaluating the animal and determining that the animal would even benefit from chiropractic therapy,\" said Dr. Mary Ergen, a Nashville veterinarian and member of the American Veterinary Medical Association executive board. Dr. Ergen said conditions such as hairline fractures, internal tumors and endocrine diseases can present as lameness or an arched back and therefore require veterinary diagnostic testing before beginning chiropractic treatment.

Dr. Michael Towns, president‑elect of the Tennessee Veterinary Medical Association, said the bill is \"the only instance where a licensing board other than the board of veterinary medical examiners will license, certify, and discipline individuals to practice veterinary medicine,\" and argued that diagnosing and prescribing are core veterinary functions. He warned the committee that allowing human chiropractors to diagnose and treat animal disease could delay needed veterinary care.

Chiropractic witnesses argued the bill establishes competency and formalizes long‑standing practice. \"Chiropractors are physician level trained providers already entrusted with treating everyone from infants to seniors,\" Tiffany Stevens, executive director of the Tennessee Chiropractic Association, told the committee, adding that animal chiropractors receive \"over 210 additional hours\" of specialized training. Dr. Richard Cole, vice president of the Tennessee Chiropractic Association, said the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association (AVCA) certification requires animals to be current with veterinary care and that AVCA standards include referral and coordination with veterinarians.

The committee considered amendments during the hearing. Representative Alexander proposed an amendment requiring a chiropractor who wants to practice on animals to establish a provider agreement with a licensed Tennessee veterinarian and directing the chiropractic board to develop rules with the veterinary board. Speaker Marsh said that amendment was \"not a friendly amendment\" and that it would return the measure to its prior state; the amendment failed on a voice vote.

Committee members probed both sides on specifics: veterinarians said complaints against chiropractors have occurred and emphasized the need for veterinary diagnostic tools such as X‑rays and laboratory testing; chiropractors said national certification programs and continuing education would be required under the bill and that certified practitioners already refer when appropriate. Several legislators framed the issue as balancing animal welfare, owner choice and professional boundaries.

The public transcript for this meeting records committee debate and extensive witness testimony but does not include a final recorded tally for House Bill 164 in the provided excerpt. The committee put amendments on the bill during the session and prepared to vote.

Representative Marsh said the bill would preserve owners’ choice to take animals either to a veterinarian or to a certified chiropractor, and supporters described the measure as a way to clarify practice lines and require certification for those who treat animals with chiropractic techniques.

The committee hearing included both pro‑ and con‑testimony and several members said they remained undecided after the round of witnesses and questions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee\tMar 25, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","House Bill 164, which would set certification and education standards for animal chiropractic care, drew competing testimony from veterinarians who urged veterinary evaluation before chiropractic treatment and chiropractors who said certification and continued training protect animals.","taxTitle","taxId",0,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":-5,"_68":69,"_70":-5,"_71":72,"_73":72},6422654,"Committee advances bill aligning Tennessee meat-and-poultry program with federal inspection standards",118,1704000,1822000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2764980-d125e70e1c5eb88fa355fbf6b6110f9b&start=1704&end=1822","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2764980-d125e70e1c5eb88fa355fbf6b6110f9b/thumbnail_1704000.jpg","/articles/6422654/Committee-advances-bill-aligning-Tennessee-meat-and-poultry-program-with-federal-inspection-standards","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6422654-96857b7d817a0b455824f55151ed2f78/orig.mp4?Expires=1770485886&Signature=B~fsvXsGMjCs5zupOT3g6mRv8FFfUc9GfUZzHg1VDgmaL-MW~QkYtlxoZNA5Jut2U4sG5pTyi48GJ~UIqyKaCR9clZwG7JcCEKCs181DE9WoZbF3thRzJ9kSTB5RNKydVuCQMZJIs-OxyLBE6iFKz~jwhS2jNFQKTJzHjZkoDgzEfqXVGECh0z~oQnuHCPMx3pXYSWZMqk~Vp-gRrTDpuU4MU~wd9jNVZp9UcwLIEAdydJE1MHaf2b0P~xT2vp7a7rRNEV1eBew2y8DMK~nAZ2KJr-0P0ar1BvuIfPSzCp5jhuRXpSRjgCvPRp~RwXweZMxR8yHOekQaHAOE5hYE2Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee voted unanimously to advance House Bill 1302, legislation sponsored by Representative Jones that creates a program to align Tennessee’s meat and poultry rules with the federal meat inspection program.

The bill, presented as coming from the Department of Agriculture, would place state inspection authority and related program elements \"in alignment with the federal meat inspection program,\" Representative Jones said during the committee meeting. He opened the measure for questions and noted the change was intended as an administrative alignment with existing federal standards.

Committee members discussed an amendment during the hearing; Representative Jones identified the amendment as drafting code 5116 and the committee adopted it before final passage.

The clerk recorded 16 ayes and no nays. The motion carried and House Bill 1302, as amended, moves to the Government Operations Committee.

The committee did not record a named mover or seconder for the final motion in the public transcript provided.

The bill’s passage in committee was brief and described as a department-led technical alignment; committee members who spoke praised the bill as completing a conversation that began after the COVID-19 period and said the measure addressed outstanding funding and USDA coordination issues raised earlier.

Votes at a glance: House Bill 1302 (as amended) — Committee vote: 16 ayes, 0 nays. Outcome: approved and referred to Government Operations.

Next steps: The bill goes to Government Operations for further consideration.","The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee approved House Bill 1302, a Department of Agriculture bill that creates a program to align state meat and poultry oversight with the federal inspection system; the bill passed the committee 16-0 and moves to Government Operations.","actionData","errors"]

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House committee debates animal chiropractic bill after competing testimony from veterinarians and chiropractors

Committee advances bill aligning Tennessee meat-and-poultry program with federal inspection standards