July 2007

Audit of California board ordered

The California Legislature has ordered an audit of the Board of Chiropractic Examiners, in response to investigations by The Sacramento Bee.

State Auditor Elaine Howle will look into how the board disciplines licensees.

The examination of the Board of Chiropractic Examiners was triggered by board actions in the past four months, starting with a March 1 meeting during which it made several controversial moves.

A later review by a legislative committee found that the board violated the state open meetings law, illegally fired its executive director, and dismissed a deputy attorney general as its legal representative, and violated another state law by inviting chiropractors facing disciplinary action to bypass the staff and deal directly with board members.

The audit will focus mainly on the board’s enforcement of laws and regulations governing the state’s 15,000 licensed chiropractors.

The two legislators, state Sen. Mark Ridley-Thomas, D-Los Angeles, and Assemblyman Mike Eng, D-Monterey Park, said they want the audit to examine how the board sets priorities for investigating complaints against chiropractors, the qualifications of investigators, how long it takes to close a case, and a number of other matters.

“It’s high time this issue be dealt with forthrightly,” said Ridley-Thomas, also a member of the audit committee.

The report is expected to take seven months.

Source: Sacramento BEE online, www.sacbee.com

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