The Scoop Regarding FL HB 591

[Guest guest]

Hi Folks:

 

This is regarding the scare post that has been circulating (I got it on *every

list* I to today). By its very tone the original letter is sensational

and frightening and paints with a pretty broad brush. Although I am certainly a

proponent of being sensibly careful and proactive politically in protecting our

rights, I would certainly spend some time researching anything I got that often

before I forwarded it all over the world.

 

I read the majority of the bill and the links in it...

 

Here is the URL for the Florida Legislature Session bill #591:

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/session/2000/billinfo/index.cfm?Mode=ViewBillInfo & Bil\

lNum=0591

 

and the latest text of the bill (5-11-00):

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/session/2000/House/bills/billtext/html/billtext/hb059\

1er.html

 

I searched the portion that had to do with:

 

>> modifying the criminal offense severity ranking chart to add or increase the

level of various offenses relating to the practice of a health care profession,

the practice of medicine, osteopathic medicine,

chiropractic medicine, podiatric medicine, naturopathy, optometry, nursing,

pharmacy, dentistry, dental hygiene, midwifery, respiratory therapy, and

medical physics, practicing as clinical laboratory personnel, and the dispensing

of hearing aids;>>

 

This section apparently relates to persons who are untrained masquerading as

these professionals (the link refers to practice of medicine without a license,

as well as practice of dentistry without a license). I am not sure who we are

supposed to be protecting here... is naturopathy a licensed profession in

Florida? If so, then they are within their rights to prosecute unlicensed

naturopaths in their state.

 

The association of one crime with another:

> " criminal penalties equal to DUI resulting

> in serious bodily harm, aggravated stalking and

> impregnation of a child under 16 years of age by a

> person 21 years of age or older "

is purely sensational. The link page includes a ranking of many crimes in

Florida, including tampering with crab traps, bigamy, cock fights and altering

lottery tickets, but doesn't associate one with the other ;-)

 

There is an addition which defines accupuncture and oriental medicine but

doesn't make it illegal in any way. I saw nothing there regarding

" suggestotherapy " and would like to know where that reference came from (someone

stated it was in the legal definition of naturopathy, which I did not readily

find although it is supposed to be from the Florida statutes... any links?). The

bill addresses the regulation of naturopaths, not other professions who practice

these therapies.

 

I didn't see where this bill had anything to do with making natural healing

illegal or prosecuting natural healers. Apparently it does place naturopathy

under the auspices of the Division of Medical Quality Assurance, as well as

midwifery and most other medically-oriented professions in Florida. Since there

is no board listed for naturopaths, I am again wondering how they are

licensed/certified in Florida, since there are Florida statutes already

regarding naturopathy which the original post quotes. Any Florida people know

this?

 

I am not sure where the original post came from ( " David and Richelle Jarrell " ?),

but I would like to know where they got their interpretation, after reading the

bill myself. I'd track my facts before I forwarded it any further.

 

--

Blessings,

Crow

" Look for Rainbows in the Darkness "

--

---

Rev. Caroline Gutierrez Abreu, BS, RN, CHTP/I, CRMT, CH

AIM: CaroCrow

http://www.geocities.com/nrgbalance

 

" We see things not as they are but as we are. " The Talmud

 

" There are among us some that are righteous,

and some the contrary: we follow divergent paths. " The Quran