Licensing for practice of acupuncture and herbal medicine modified, and terminology changed.
HF 1270 updates Minnesota's licensing rules for acupuncture and herbal medicine practitioners. The bill adds specific definitions clarifying that acupuncture includes techniques like dry needling and herbal medicine involves using herbs as part of a patient's treatment plan. It also sets new standards for continuing education, requiring courses to directly relate to acupuncture practice, have qualified instructors, last at least one hour, and maintain attendance records for four years - while excluding practice management courses. Additionally, the bill establishes an advisory council for the licensing board with defined membership criteria, including licensed practitioners and public members.
Bill status
passed
3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
May 2026
House Passage
May 2026
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Feb 20, 2025
Last action May 5, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons
What changed between versions
1st Engrossment
→
2nd Engrossment
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5 edits
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May 5, 2026
MODERATE
This bill updates Minnesota's acupuncture and herbal medicine regulations by renaming the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) to the National Certification Board for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (NCBAHM) to reflect the inclusion of herbal medicine. It expands the definition of complementary health practices to explicitly include herbalism and dietary guidance, while clarifying that these practices do not include surgery or drug administration. The changes also update the advisory council composition to require chiropractor certification under the new board name and modify the scope of practice to include low-level lasers and dietary counseling.
Scope change
The bill broadens the scope of practice for licensed practitioners to explicitly include herbal medicine and dietary counseling, and clarifies that the law does not restrict other licensed health care professionals from their existing scopes of practice.
DEFINITION
Renamed the certifying body from NCCAOM to NCBAHM throughout the statute to align with the inclusion of herbal medicine.
Expanded the definition of 'complementary and alternative health care practices' to explicitly list herbalism and dietary supplements.
Clarified that acupuncture needles are designed for insertion past the skin to treat pain or disease, distinguishing them from other tools.
SCOPE
Added 'low-level or cold laser' and 'dietary counseling' to the list of permitted treatment techniques for licensed practitioners.
REQUIREMENT
Updated the advisory council requirements to specify that the chiropractor member must be certified by the new NCBAHM board.
Floor votes · House May 4, 2026
How they voted
104–21
Passed
Total votes 125
May 4, 2026
D
Democratic58
65% Yea
R
Republican67
98% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
14
Key actions
3
Committee
2
Amendments
1
May 5, 2026
Committee
Referred to Health and Human Services
upper
May 5, 2026
Introduced
Introduction and first reading
upper
May 5, 2026
Introduced
Received from House
upper
May 4, 2026
Lower · Passed
Bill was passed as amended
lower
May 4, 2026
Lower · Passed
Amended
lower
Mar 5, 2026
Lower · Passed
Committee report, to adopt as amended
lower
Feb 20, 2025
Introduced
Introduction and first reading, referred to Health Finance and Policy
lower
1 primary · 6 co-sponsors
Sponsors
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