Veto AB 1703: Prevent Regulatory Restrictions on Internationally Certified Professionals
Veto AB 1703: Prevent Regulatory Restrictions on Internationally Certified Professionals
The Issue
To The Honorable Gavin Newsom, Governor of California:
We, the undersigned California citizens, call on Governor Gavin Newsom to VETO Assembly Bill 1703 (Hart). This legislation severely threatens consumer freedom, disrupts local livelihoods, and restricts vital public access to independent complementary, integrative, and alternative health practitioners.
The Problem:
AB 1703 narrows California's current medical practice exceptions by classifying the unauthorized practice or description of “osteopathic manipulative treatment” (OMT) as a criminal misdemeanor.
This bill explicitly targets highly skilled, internationally trained osteopaths who have undergone years of rigorous, specialized university education abroad. In countries like the UK, France, Australia, and Canada, osteopaths are trained in safe, non-invasive, hands-on manual therapy rather than traditional surgery or pharmaceutical medicine. AB 1703 completely criminalizes these foreign-trained professionals, cutting Californians off from world-class manual therapy.
Furthermore, while early grassroots pressure successfully forced an August 20, 2026, amendment to protect state-licensed health professions and standard massage services, the foundational language of the bill still creates unintended challenges. It defines OMT broadly as “the therapeutic application of manually guided forces.” This broad definition leaves an uncertain legal gray area that could still inadvertently impact independent, non-licensed bodywork practitioners, holistic health advocates, CranioSacral providers, and integrative therapy practitioners who use similar hands-on wellness modalities.
The Impact on California Consumers
- Restricts Health Freedom: Limits the right of Californians to choose safe, alternative, non-invasive wellness treatments from both local and internationally certified experts.
- Excludes Internationally Certified Experts: Prevents highly educated, experienced international osteopaths from practicing under threat of criminal charges.
- Criminalizes Holistic Care: Leaves an uncertain legal gap that could expose safe, non-licensed, complementary care practitioners to criminal misdemeanor charges.
- Drives Up Costs: Limits affordable, preventative hands-on options, forcing California consumers into expensive, institutionalized medical settings.
What Californians Want:
We urge Governor Gavin Newsom to safeguard consumer choice, protect alternative health professionals, and VETO AB 1703. California must defend independent complementary health practitioners against restrictive title laws and scope-of-practice encroachment, ensuring citizens retain their fundamental right to access alternative treatments.
1,564
The Issue
To The Honorable Gavin Newsom, Governor of California:
We, the undersigned California citizens, call on Governor Gavin Newsom to VETO Assembly Bill 1703 (Hart). This legislation severely threatens consumer freedom, disrupts local livelihoods, and restricts vital public access to independent complementary, integrative, and alternative health practitioners.
The Problem:
AB 1703 narrows California's current medical practice exceptions by classifying the unauthorized practice or description of “osteopathic manipulative treatment” (OMT) as a criminal misdemeanor.
This bill explicitly targets highly skilled, internationally trained osteopaths who have undergone years of rigorous, specialized university education abroad. In countries like the UK, France, Australia, and Canada, osteopaths are trained in safe, non-invasive, hands-on manual therapy rather than traditional surgery or pharmaceutical medicine. AB 1703 completely criminalizes these foreign-trained professionals, cutting Californians off from world-class manual therapy.
Furthermore, while early grassroots pressure successfully forced an August 20, 2026, amendment to protect state-licensed health professions and standard massage services, the foundational language of the bill still creates unintended challenges. It defines OMT broadly as “the therapeutic application of manually guided forces.” This broad definition leaves an uncertain legal gray area that could still inadvertently impact independent, non-licensed bodywork practitioners, holistic health advocates, CranioSacral providers, and integrative therapy practitioners who use similar hands-on wellness modalities.
The Impact on California Consumers
- Restricts Health Freedom: Limits the right of Californians to choose safe, alternative, non-invasive wellness treatments from both local and internationally certified experts.
- Excludes Internationally Certified Experts: Prevents highly educated, experienced international osteopaths from practicing under threat of criminal charges.
- Criminalizes Holistic Care: Leaves an uncertain legal gap that could expose safe, non-licensed, complementary care practitioners to criminal misdemeanor charges.
- Drives Up Costs: Limits affordable, preventative hands-on options, forcing California consumers into expensive, institutionalized medical settings.
What Californians Want:
We urge Governor Gavin Newsom to safeguard consumer choice, protect alternative health professionals, and VETO AB 1703. California must defend independent complementary health practitioners against restrictive title laws and scope-of-practice encroachment, ensuring citizens retain their fundamental right to access alternative treatments.
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Petition created on July 30, 2026