The Arizona Senate has passed a bill sponsored by Arizona State Senator Janae Shamp, SB 1021, intended to fix serious oversight failures at Arizona’s State Board of Chiropractic Examiners.
The legislation aims to restore accountability after troubling audit findings revealed widespread problems.
Every Senate Democrat voted no.
SB 1021 establishes clear statutory standards for unprofessional conduct, sets firm guardrails on how complaints may be investigated, and requires more consistent and transparent enforcement practices.
The legislation follows a special audit and follow-up review that found the board routinely expanded investigations beyond the original complaint, subpoenaed large volumes of unrelated patient and business records, applied disciplinary standards inconsistently, failed to promptly report potential criminal wrongdoing to law enforcement, and allowed complaints to remain open for months or even years without resolution.
Auditors warned these practices created lengthy investigations, unnecessary burdens on licensees, risks to patient privacy, and delayed accountability in serious cases. SB 1021 responds by placing clear enforcement standards into statute, limiting investigations to the allegations at issue, and establishing defined complaint procedures to ensure cases are handled consistently and focused on patient safety.
“When a licensing board starts expanding investigations beyond the complaint and making up standards as it goes, that’s not oversight, that’s overreach,” said Senator Shamp. “The audits made it clear the system wasn’t working. This bill draws bright lines around the board’s authority, protects due process, and makes sure patient safety, not bureaucracy, is the priority.”
Shamp has argued that by clearly defining violations and investigative limits in law, the legislation restores predictability for providers while ensuring legitimate misconduct is investigated promptly and appropriately.
SB 1021 now advances to the House for further consideration.
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