Despite signing a rash of Nanny Bills with strong PC accents, the Governor slammed Mark Ridley-Thomas’s anti Chiropractic SB 801.
For months Ridley-Thomas has been making reckless charges along with the incredible Sacramento Bee of some sort of disciplinary meltdown taking place at the Chiropractic Board. Like any good Liberal, Ridley-Thomas wanted to impose more regulations on a Board that has an outstanding reputation for disciplining bad doctors and protecting the public. (See my previous posts on this here.)
Ridley-Thomas was trying to score points to humiliate the Governor. Yes, Arnold did appoint two chiropractors to the Board. Which pays nothing, but means many hours of endless meetings. Both doctors are good men and are a credit to their profession. Chairman Dick Tyler DC, practices in the Sacramento area was Arnold’s first chiropractor when Arnold was competing. Franco Columbu DC, speaks three languages and who is the celebrities doctor in West Los Angeles, was Arnold’s best man at Arnold’s wedding. Seeking a cheap shot the Bee conjured stories from a discredited Board employee to make something out of nothing.
Ridley-Thomas’s solution was to forcibly take away chiropractors from the Protection of the Chiropractic Act of 1922. Back then, chiropractors were arrested by hostile prosecutors by the hundreds. By peoples initiative, voters backed the establishment of the Board of Chiropractic Examiners that would be forever immune from control by a hostile Legislature. The Act continues to work well and is the model for many other states Chiropractic Boards. Ridley-Thomas would have abolished the Act, require any future chiropractic practice rights be approved by a rapacious Legislature, generally dominated by Big Medicine and Big Insurance.
SB 801 turned partisan. Not a single Republican voted for SB 801’s power grab in either house. A few democrats couldn’t stomach SB 801 and voted against caucus. Assemblywoman Loni Hancock, from Berkeley stood alone in the final vote against SB 801. I predict that democrats should not expect much support from the 15,000 chiropractors in California. Republicans showed their colors in favor of the Initiative process and for chiropractic practice rights.
Arnold wise veto (see his veto message below) should marginalize Ridley-Thomas’s chairmanship of the Business and Professions Senate Committee. We suspect he will be reassigned another committee, where he won’t embarrass his caucus as much.
Of Ridley-Thomas’s four bills, two were vetoed. Given that the Governor signed nearly 90% of the bills, it might be a good idea for lobbyists not to entrust their legislation with impotent angry Ridley-Thomas.
____________________________
The Governor’s Veto Message:
I am returning Senate Bill 801 without my signature.
This bill would bring the Board of Chiropractic Examiners under the auspices of the Department of Consumer Affairs, pending approval by California’s voters on the June 2008 ballot.
The Board of Chiropractic Examiners is currently working with the Department of Consumer Affairs to provide essential support services and correct any prior deficiencies. I do not feel it is necessary at this time to go through the expense of placing this measure on the ballot to essentially codify existing practice. I also do not support requiring the profession’s licensing fees to pay for the
costs of placing this measure on the ballot.
Sincerely,
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Care to read comments, or make your own about today’s Daily Commentary?
Just click here to go to the FR Weblog, where this Commentary has its own blog post, and where you can read and make comments.