To the California State Legislature and Governor Gavin Newsom:

We, the undersigned California citizens, call on you to oppose or amend Assembly Bill 1703 (Hart) to safeguard consumer freedom and protect access to complementary and integrative health practitioners.

The Problem:

AB 1703 (Hart) narrows California's current medical practice exceptions by explicitly classifying the unauthorized practice or description of “osteopathic manipulative treatment” (OMT) as a misdemeanor crime. While intended to protect professional titles, AB 1703’s broad language threatens independent, non-licensed bodywork practitioners, holistic health advocates, and integrative therapy providers who utilize similar, safe, hands-on wellness modalities.

The Impact on California Consumers:

• Restricts Health Freedom: Restricts Californians their right to choose alternative treatments.
• Criminalizes Holistic Methods: Expands local criminal enforcement over non-invasive, complementary care practices.
• Drives Up Costs: Forces California consumers into expensive institutional medical settings for preventative, hands-on wellness therapies.

What Californians Want:

We want our lawmakers to oppose or amend AB 1703 (Hart) to clearly protect independent complementary health practitioners from unintended criminal liability, ensuring Californians retain their freedom to access alternative treatments.