Organized a successful Lobby Day with over 62 naturopathic doctors, students, patients, and advocates attending 59 meetings with state representatives

Aided the successful passage of the California ND State Board's Sunset Review Bill, SB 796. The ND State Board, the Naturopathic Medicine Committee (NMC), was up for review and legislators evaluated its performance and efficacy in regulating the naturopathic industry in our state. SB 796 continues the licensure of NDs from 2018 to 2022.

Monitored SB 562, a bill that will create the Healthy California program to provide universal single-payer health care coverage as well as a health care cost control system for the benefit of all California residents

Lobbied Scope Modernization Bill, SB 538, in the state Assembly where we passed our vote in the Appropriations Committee

Hosted our annual Lobby Day with over 70 naturopathic doctors, students, and patients in attendance for 78 meetings with state senate and assembly members

Coordinated tours at the Bastyr University San Diego Campus for eight legislators and their staff to show the strong capabilities of the school and the hands-on learning style of their ND students

Communicated with the California Department of Insurance, the Department of Managed Health Care, and the federal Health and Human Services agency to further insurance parity efforts for NDs in California and across the country

Educated national healthcare suppliers on the rights and scope of naturopathic doctors to enable NDs to prescribe more of the treatments their patients need

Supported a California bill to allow NDs to perform state sports physicals, as well as a bill to promote the judicious use of opioids in treating back pain within Worker's Compensation Programs

Introduced Scope Modernization Bill, SB 538 into the state legislature where it passed three votes in the Senate and another in the Assembly.

Organized a successful Lobby Day with over 85 naturopathic doctors, students, patients, and advocates attending 85 meetings with state representatives

Supported several state bills introduced to address insurance parity, patient choice and health, and the establishment of antibiotic stewardship programs

Nurtured our positive relationships with state associations, departments, and legislators and also strengthened our naturopathic advocate network with 100s of new supporters joining our advocacy database, VoterVoice

Aided the successful passage of the Naturopathic Act's Sunset Review Bill (SB305) through state congress, receiving a unanimous vote to support the continuance of our profession in California

Organized another successful Lobby Day where we were able to send several NDs up to Sacramento to meet with important legislators and their staff throughout the day to inform them about the profession. These meetings often serve as an introduction to Naturopathic Medicine for many new legislators

Drafted and sent in letters of support for the reappoinment of Naturopathic Medicine Committee members

Created training materials for In District Meetings and organized visits from doctors to their legislative representatives

Did extensive background research to prepare for the introduction of scope of practice expansion bill for California naturopathic doctors

Set up Voter Voice software, which enables our members to directly contact their legislators before crucial votes

Sponsored and supported the passage of the IV Clarification Bill (SB1446) which secured California ND's right to independently perform nutritional IM and IV Therapy

Successfully amended the Vaccine Bill (AB2109) to include NDs as providers authorized to counsel parents on childhood vaccines and facilitate access to vaccine waivers if appropriate

Assisted Bastyr University in the establishment of a Naturopathic Medical School in our state: Bastyr California opened in September, 2012

Put together our most successful Lobby Day yet! Coordinated the attendance of numerous doctors and students to collectively visit with over 30 legislators and educate them about our profession

Sponsored and supported the passage of SB1050, which established the Naturopathic Medicine Committee, which functions autonomously under the Osteopathic Medical Board of CA

This act changed the composition of the NMC to five NDs, two MDs, and two public members. Revising the composition of the Committee made it consistent with other healing arts boards in California in that the majority of Committee members are representatives of the profession.

Sponsored and supported the passage of our first scope expansion bill, SB1246, which allows NDs to hire Naturopathic Assistants and perform CLIA-waived tests in office

Created an amicable relationship with the Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of California (OPSC)

Medicine and created the Naturopathic Medicine Committee under the Osteopathic Medical Board of California. The bill:

Abolished the Advisory Council, created the Committee, and all Committee members are Governor Appointees.

Created an executive officer to carry out the duties of the Committee.

Required a minimum of two Committee meetings per year.

The Committee has since approved regulations pertaining to continuing education and enforcement, written a strategic plan, created sub-committees to develop a scope of practice document, created a standards of practice document, defined disciplinary guidelines, and updated findings from the 2007 Reports to the Legislature.

In 2003, Senate Bill 907 (Burton; Chapter 485, Statutes of 2003) established the Naturopathic Doctors Act (Act) and created the Bureau of Naturopathic Medicine (Bureau) within the Department of Consumer Affairs to administer the Act. The Act contained requirements for the licensure and regulation of Naturopathic Doctors (NDs), and established a scope of practice for the profession.

California’s Health Freedom Bill (SB 577) became law effective January 1, 2003, which allowed the unlicensed practice of health education by lay persons.

In the spring of 2001, Dr. Sally LaMont, California Association of Naturopathic Physicians (precursor to CNDA) executive director, gave testimony about naturopathic medicine to the newly formed Alternative Medicine Committee of the Medical Board of California.

In October 2000, representatives from the CANP and AANP testified at a hearing in San Francisco for the White House Commission for Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy.

In 1999, Senator Johanassen sponsored Senate Bill (SB) 1059 – a study bill – that would support the forthcoming “Naturopathic Physicians Practice Act”. The bill was “parked” for a year as the state could not fund the study.

Also in 1999, the Department of Consumer Affairs held a forum to assess the political and professional climate surrounding possible licensing; attendees included allopathic and naturopathic physicians, representatives of educational institutions and standards, the California Medical Association, chiropractors, licensed acupuncturists, and representatives from groups representing unlicensable naturopathic practitioners.

The CANP partnered with AANP to help build awareness in California of the national, licensable profession of naturopathic physicians. The CANP spent the next two years securing grants and forming committees for legislation, fundraising, and outreach to naturopathic medical schools.

In the 1980’s, Naturopathic physicians formed the California Association of Naturopathic Physicians (CANP). The CANP began exploring the possibility of securing licensing in California in 1986.