SB 1333: Naturopathic doctors: scope of practice.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing law, the Naturopathic Doctors Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of naturopathic doctors by the California Board of Naturopathic Medicine. Existing law repeals the act on January 1, 2027.

This bill would extend operation of the act until an unspecified date.

Existing law defines naturopathic medicine and authorizes a naturopathic doctor to perform specific health care functions. Existing law authorizes a naturopathic doctor to dispense, administer, order, prescribe, and furnish or perform, among other things, repair and care incidental to superficial lacerations and abrasions, except suturing, and the removal of foreign bodies located in the superficial tissues.

This bill would, instead, authorize a naturopathic doctor to dispense, administer, order, prescribe, and furnish or perform minor office procedures, defined, in part, to mean care and operative procedures relative to lacerations, skin lesions, and abrasions, the incision and drainage of abscesses, and the trephination of subungual hematomas, among other specified procedures.

Existing law authorizes a naturopathic doctor to furnish or order drugs, including Schedule III to Schedule V, inclusive, controlled substances, under specified circumstances, including, among others, that the drugs are furnished or ordered under the supervision of a physician and surgeon and in accordance with standardized procedures or protocols developed by the naturopathic doctor and their supervising physician and surgeon and that the board has certified that the naturopathic doctor has completed coursework in pharmacology, as specified. Existing law authorizes a naturopathic doctor to independently prescribe and administer other specified drugs.

This bill would revise and recast the above-described authorizations to instead authorize a naturopathic doctor to furnish, order, or prescribe drugs, including, among others, Schedule II to Schedule V, inclusive, controlled substances, and would remove the supervision and standardized procedure requirements. The bill would make conforming changes.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Republican 1

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. April 21, 2026April 20 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.
2. April 16, 2026Set for hearing April 20.
3. March 4, 2026Referred to Com. on B. P. & E.D.
4. February 23, 2026Read first time.
5. February 23, 2026From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 23.
6. February 20, 2026Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.